osac crime and safety report el salvador 2021 osac crime and safety report el salvador 2021

The ministry did not effectively enforce child labor laws in the informal sector, which represented almost 75 percent of the economy. In November the president of the Association of Salvadoran Journalists (APES) stated at a journalism forum that journalists were seen by the government as enemies of the state. One of the women, Sara Rogel, received early parole, and the Second Court of Penitentiary Surveillance in Cojutepeque, Cuscatlan Department, released her from prison on June 7. Human rights in El Salvador Amnesty International A report by Association Communicating and Training Trans Women in El Salvador (COMCAVIS Trans) found that gangs were you find at major reputable hotels. The most recent allegation was submitted in March 2020 concerning sexual exploitation and abuse by Salvadoran peacekeepers deployed to the UN Mission in South Sudan, allegedly involving an exploitative relationship with an adult. allows the police to detain individuals for up to 72 hours for administrative osac mexico 2020 crime and safety reportchannel 13 weather girl pregnant; osac mexico 2020 crime and safety reportphiladelphia inmate mugshots; osac mexico 2020 crime and safety reporthanalei hat company; In October 2018, heavy rains forced the government to close schools nationwide for several days. The government did not adequately enforce these laws, and penalties were not commensurate with those for similar crimes, such as fraud. (PNC). some cases, prisoners may have to purchase their own food, clothing, and According to the ministrys audit,El Faroevaded approximately $34,000 in taxes in 2017. Virtual trials often involved group hearings before a judge, with defense lawyers physically present in the courtroom but defendants appearing by video, unable to consult with their defense lawyers in real time. Among the recipients of the alert were members of the Institute of Human Rights of the Central American University, Cristosal, and the Democracy, Transparency and Justice Foundation as well as journalists fromEl Faro,LaPrensa Grafica,El Diario de Hoy,Disruptiva Magazine,Gato Encerradomagazine,Diario El Mundo, and independent journalists. Access unmatched financial data, news and content in a highly-customised workflow experience on desktop, web and mobile. Pharmacies The judiciary, due to the lack of familiarity with IPR issues and inconsistent enforcement, continues to be the weak link in IPR protection; using the courts to seek redress for IPR violations is often a slow and frustrating process. The law sets a maximum normal workweek of 44 hours limited to no more than six days and to no more than eight hours per day but allows overtime, which is to be paid at double the usual hourly wage. On April 12, gang members in Santa Tecla, La Libertad Department, beat a 77-year-old priest who tried to circumvent heavy traffic and accidentally entered a neighborhood with gang presence. According to the Feminist Collective, families did not report the rapes to the PNC and the Attorney Generals Office because the rapist was commonly a relative of the victim and the families considered it an embarrassment. common crimes committed in El Salvador, accounting for 47% of all categorized crimes. While laws News media regularly carry reports of riders robbed at Recent Elections:The most recent legislative and municipal elections occurred in February. The law prohibits workers from appealing a government decision declaring a strike illegal. Central For more information, review OSACs report, There is only one national police service: The. tattoos, or require medical treatment in El Salvador should receive the hepatitis Since 2015, risk of victimization. osac El Salvador - United States Department of State WebOSAC has developed into an enormously successful joint venture, with U.S. companies and organizations receiving the tools they need to cope with security issues in a foreign Armed robberies accounted for 14% of all reported property crimes. In 2017, El Salvador recorded 10.2 femicides per 100,000 women, giving it Latin America's highest rate, according to the most recent United Nations data. In 2014, a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast, causing moderate damage and killing one person. information suggests that criminals specifically target U.S. citizens. resources to enforce these prohibitions effectively. About Who We Are OSAC Council OSAC Program Office Code of Conduct reasons. Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) - United surreptitious theft of bags, backpacks, or purses. The government did not effectively enforce the laws on freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining, and penalties were not commensurate with those for other laws involving denials of civil rights, such as discrimination. Crime can run the gamut from credit card skimming to homicide, and is characterized by violence directed against known targeted victims and targets of opportunity. The most comprehensive solution to manage all your complex and ever-expanding tax and compliance needs. Alcohol Abroad, Health 101: How to Prepare for Travel, and Fire Safety Abroad. property crimes. U.S. Department of State. procedures are not always clear or easily understood. Although the law prohibits discrimination based on HIV/AIDS status, Entre Amigos, an NGO that works on issues concerning LGBTQI+ persons, reported HIV-related discrimination was widespread. Salvador has concerns regarding ATM/credit card crime, including at well-known ORMUSA reported that the closure of Ciudad Mujer health centers throughout the country since June 2019, shortly after President Bukele became president, had created a barrier to women and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI+) persons receiving timely health services. On June 2, the Citizen Group for the Decriminalization of Abortion in El Salvador reported that at least 17 women were in prison on charges of having an abortion after suffering out-of-hospital obstetric emergencies. Uber operates in San Salvador. As of August 31, the PDDH reported 53 cases of forced internal displacement. Violent, well-armed street gangs 18th Street (Barrio 18) and MS-13 (Mara Salvatrucha) being the largest are dispersed throughout El Salvador. Complete travel There is On June 14, the First Justice of the Peace of Santa Ana, Santa Ana Department, ordered the local investigative magazineFactumto take down its June 12 article about killings in Chalchuapa, Santa Ana Department, because the article included details of the crimes that were declared confidential. Recognizing the threat posed by MS-13, He was released the same day with no charges filed. Alejandra Menjivar, a transgender woman, ran as a candidate for the Central American Parliament from the FMLN party. In May the director of the National Civilian Police stated that there were approximately 5,000 persons in police holding cells, including prosecuted and convicted individuals who could not be transferred to the overcrowded prisons. Division for the Protection of Women, Children, Adolescents, and Other Avoid Property crimes (e.g. PDDH deputy attorney Beatriz Campos said most of the deaths were due to chronic diseases, including kidney failure, respiratory diseases, and HIV. As of August 10, the Institute for Access to Public Information (IAIP) failed to fulfill its legal obligation to publish the 2020 report on public entities. Each major city, municipality, or town has a PNC delegation. The police recorded 20,107 traffic The U.S. Prison and detention center conditions remained harsh and life threatening due to gross overcrowding, unhygienic conditions, and gang activity. Ticas did not respond to a request for comment. Best Practices for Maximizing Indigenous communities reported they faced racial discrimination and economic disadvantage. Check with insurance providers to ensure you have adequate medical On December 1, the daily newspaperLa Prensa Graficareported the findings from a study by the OUDH showing that between June 2019 and June 2021, only four cases of missing persons ended in a conviction. In urban and rural areas alike, stray animals, unwary pedestrians and bicyclists, and numerous large potholes (or missing manhole covers) make driving particularly dangerous and hazardous at night. travelers. In addition the budget approved by the Legislative Assembly for the PDDH in the coming year was again significantly cut. and IPR by conducting raids against distributors and manufacturers of pirated No On September 19,El Faroreported that the Attorney Generals Office under former attorney general Melara found evidence that Bureau of Prisons Director Osiris Luna embezzled $1.6 million worth of food between September and November 2020 from the Public Health Emergency Program, a government food program assisting families during the pandemic. U.S. Embassy in San Salvador. The release of personal and medical information over the phone, by email, or in person is a common practice. only one national police service: The, There are The data was collected in 2019 but not disclosed until March due to difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.) Review OSACs report, Understanding the The Ministry of Labor maintained a list of types of hazardous work, which included repairing heavy machinery, mining, handling weapons, fishing and harvesting mollusks, and working at heights above five feet while doing construction, erecting antennas, or working on billboards. Avoid public transportation, especially local buses. The law establishes sentences of one to three years in prison for public officials convicted of denying a persons civil rights based on gender and six months to two years for employers convicted of discriminating against women in the workplace, but employees generally did not report such violations due to fear of employer reprisals. On June 17,La Prensa Graficareported that relatives of an inmate who died inside Mariona Prison in San Salvador Department on June 7 learned of the death through Facebook. Crimes El Salvador saw 59 women murdered in the first four months of 2021, a 27% increase from the same period a year earlier, the nonprofit Organization of Salvadoran osac crime and safety report For public safety Nonetheless, media documented cases of transgender persons who faced harassment while voting in the municipal elections during the year because their name and photograph on their national identification document did not match their expression of gender identity. News media occasionally El Salvadors gangs are major narcotics trafficking organizations. Members of indigenous groups said they do not feel represented by the government or any public official. El Salvador is the most densely populated country in Central America, with more than six million people living in an area the size of Massachusetts, high unemployment and generally low wages, and comparatively high housing costs. Alerts and Messages for U.S. visitors to El Salvador. Previously based in Santiago de Chile and Buenos Aires covering the Argentine debt crisis, the tussle for influence between the United States and China in Latin America and the coronavirus pandemic. This practice continued throughout the year due to precautionary measures taken by the courts to curb the spread of COVID-19. Department of State has assessed San Salvador as being a CRITICAL-threat location for crime directed at or affecting Overseas Security Advisory Council The victims father said his two sons previously received threats from police, claiming the PNC officers planned the shooting and told him, We are going to kill your children.. On July 19, PNC officers in Guacotecti, Cabanas Department, killed two brothers suspected of being members of transnational gang MS-13. without these features are targets of crime more frequently. Workers in the informal sector were not protected by labor laws and were not inspected by the Ministry of Labor. is common for Salvadorans to include their photo, national ID number, date of Occupational Safety and Health:The Ministry of Labor is responsible for setting and enforcing occupational safety and health (OSH) standards, and the law establishes a tripartite committee to review these. Independent Monitoring:The prison system was closed to visits during the year, allowing only employees to enter. specific crimes and traffic enforcement, anti-gang, civil disturbance, VIP person is common. country per year. The law permits release on bail for detainees who are unlikely to flee or whose release would not impede the investigation of the case. well-armed street gangs MS-13 (. Pharmacies are plentiful, but not all medicines found in the U.S. are available. According to COMCAVIS Trans, transgender persons also faced discrimination from medical staff when they insisted on calling patients by their legal name instead of their chosen names. There is The First Justice of the Peace of Santa Tecla, La Libertad Department, ordered the provisional arrest of four soldiers for the aggravated homicide of a 30-year-old engineer on August 12. It did not provide any significant public services. that has trained personnel and medical equipment to manage emergencies. All cases were under investigation. According to the DGME, Gressier failed to comply with the provision to remain in the country while his permit was in process. By law juries hear only a narrow group of cases, such as environmental complaints. For more information on self-driving, review OSACs report. El Salvador 'House of Horrors' killings shock nation The law bans abortion. without these features are targets of crime more frequently. For more information, review OSACs report. The PNC also has a number of specialized units that investigate specific crimes and traffic enforcement, anti-gang, civil disturbance, VIP protection, and other special operations units. Find contact information for available medical services and available On August 25, gang members killed a 25-year-old man in Ciudad Delgado, San Salvador Department. During the rainy season Diaz Ramirez and several gang members killed a woman in Tutunichapa, San Salvador Department, in 2019 because she refused to have sex with them. The Ethics Tribunal imposed sanctions on 19 cases and referred 18 cases to the Attorney Generals Office. The constitution provides for freedom of internal movement, foreign travel, emigration, and repatriation. Please note that all OSAC products are for internal U.S. private sector security purposes only. Operators In such circumstances detainees were permitted to request a Supreme Court review of their continued detention. The Embassy uses Hospital Diagnostico and Hospital de la Reconsider travel to El Salvador due to crime. El offenders can expect lengthy jail sentences and fines. No information on any investigations or prosecutions by the government was available. Few access ramps or provisions for the mobility of persons with disabilities existed. In criminal cases a judge may allow a private plaintiff to participate in trial proceedings (calling and cross-examining witnesses, providing evidence, etc. More than 200 judges were forced by the new laws to retire, including Judge Jorge Guzman Urquilla, the magistrate overseeing the prosecution of 13 surviving former military officers for the alleged El Mozote massacre of more than 800 civilians in 1981. Police and gangs continue to commit acts of violence against LGBTQI+ individuals. public transportation, especially local buses. "It corresponds to a problem of accepting as a society that this can happen to women," Medrano said. The officials remained in prison while awaiting the investigation of their crimes and were denied visitation despite a court order granting visitation by family and attorneys. No hospitals or medical offices will bill U.S. insurance companies. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein. Elsalvador.com reports that, according to the PNC, two cases Professional and family visits, inspections of institutions, and visits by international organizations, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), churches, and others were suspended, although there were reports of sporadic entries granted based on personal connections with prison officials to members of the clergy and nonprofits. reconsider travel to the country due to crime. Children were subjected to other worst forms of child labor, including commercial sexual exploitation (see section 6, Children) and recruitment into illegal gangs to perform illicit activities in the arms and narcotics trades, including committing homicide. His partner caught him in the act of rape and informed his supervisors. This is a common practice for most automobile accidents resulting in personal injury, apprehensions for DUI, and for criminal acts, including accusations. Mujer for most routine medical and surgical needs. The law prohibits the employment of children younger than age 14 but does not prohibit all the worst forms of child labor. non-existent on roads and highways outside urbanized areas. mechanical condition. Measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, pertussis, and chickenpox are much more common than in the U.S., especially among children. The government was ineffective in pursuing such violations. Cameras, concertina wire, and grilles ), Embassy 24-Hour Contact Number: (503) 2501-2999. Although the constitution provides for an independent judiciary, the government did not always respect judicial independence, and the judiciary was burdened by inefficiency. outside the capital after dark, for personal security and traffic safety bedding. against the government, generally by government employees, are common. Internet trolling and other disreputable practices occur, but there is little Traffickers According to the Women Transforming Association, certain apparel companies violated womens rights through occupational-health violations and unpaid overtime. As of August 20, the Ethics Tribunal reported that it had opened 170 administrative proceedings against 240 public officials. Security on Public Wi-Fi, Traveling with Mobile The PNC also has a number of specialized units that investigate Extortion Media reports alleged that security and law enforcement officials were involved in unlawful disappearances. El Salvador: State of emergency grave threat to rights Campaigns November 24, 2021 El Salvador: Law initiative endangers NGOs, HRDs and media Campaigns October 2, 2019 El Salvador: Evelyn at risk of further criminalization Campaigns July 13, 2017 El Salvador: Further information: Woman convicted under unfair anti-abortion law Generals Office lacks a trained team of IPR investigators and prosecutors, Overseas Security Advisory Council - U.S. Embassy in Exhumation of the bodies in Chalchuapa concluded this month, Villatoro said in a news conference on July 14. Reach the American Citizen Services (ACS) Unit at U.S. Embassy San Salvador at (503) 2501-2999. from inadequate funding and limited resources. Critical or Contraband? In 2017, there were 1,244 deaths due to traffic accidents; 1,312 occurred Operators generally only speak Spanish. Piracy is punishable by a jail sentence of 2-6 years. are not uniform across the country. Government of El Salvador tracks eleven specific categories of crime, and The presence of travel, consider the following resources: The contents of this (U) report in no way represent the policies, views, or attitudes of the United States Department of State, they are primarily involved in retail street-level drug sales. Following the closure of the centers, women and LGBTQI+ persons were subjected to long delays to see doctors, and the doctors were not specialized in the field of reproductive health and health issues specific to the LGBTQI+ community, as were the doctors in the Ciudad Mujer health centers. Erick Ivan Ortiz, an openly gay man, ran as a candidate for the Legislative Assembly from the Nuestro Tiempo party. On May 5, the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice ordered the Legislative Assembly to make the necessary regulatory adjustments to provide suffrage to Salvadorans living abroad and allow all citizens to register and run as candidates for the legislative and municipal elections in 2024. ch may be available only to private-sector representatives with an OSAC Local law allows the police to detain individuals for up to 72 hours for administrative processing. Unions may strike only to obtain or modify a collective bargaining agreement or to protect the common professional interests of the workers. As of October the United Nations had found the allegation of sexual exploitation or abuse to be unsubstantiated but found evidence of fraternization and repatriated the perpetrator. The election reports published by the Organization of American States (OAS) and the EU electoral mission noted the election generally met international standards. law prohibits discrimination against persons with physical and mental In urban and rural Civil society advocates expressed concern that the ban led to the wrongful incarceration of women who suffered severe pregnancy complications, including miscarriages. armed security and the use of security features in homes have proven successful Salvadoran law authorizes the seizure, forfeiture, and destruction of violence directed against known targeted victims and targets of opportunity. Violence has become normalized in Salvadoran society, often replacing dialogue as a way to demonstrate power, said Celia Medrano, a San Salvador-based human-rights advocate. For more in-depth information, review OSACs El Salvador country page While the laws were appropriate for the main industries and the government trained its inspectors on these standards, it did not effectively enforce them. rains forced the government to close schools nationwide for several days. Road As of April the DGCP reported approximately 51 percent (18,652 prisoners) of the prison population were active or former gang members. As a result the election advertisements were predominantly from Nuevas Ideas candidates. The constitution permits the PNC to hold suspects for 72 hours before presenting them to court. Judicial procedures were subject to lengthy delays and appeals. In exchange for his testimony and collaboration in nine of the cases involving other alleged accomplices, prosecutors offered Osorio a deal they referred to as "opportunity of partiality," they said in a news conference on May 21. Laws against domestic violence remained poorly enforced, and violence against women, including domestic violence, remained a widespread and serious problem. On March 12, the Attorney Generals Office issued arrest warrants for four PNC officers for the torture of a minor and a woman in 2017 in Sensuntepeque, Cabanas Department. The government-run Institute for Womens Development implements the National Care System which aims to improve the care, protection, and access to justice for victims of sexual and other types of violence. What is not in dispute is that families from across El Salvador have traveled to Chalchuapa clutching photos of missing loved ones, hoping for clues and closure - through the items found by investigators in the mass grave. When the priest slowed down to ask for directions, gang members surrounded his vehicle and demanded to know why he was in their neighborhood. The law does not specify which services meet this definition, and courts therefore applied this provision on a case-by-case basis. U.S. Embassy in San Salvador. criminals. stops or while on the bus. Workers at times engaged in strikes regardless of whether the strikes met legal requirements. El Salvador. On October 17, members of indigenous groups marched against the current administration, demanding visibility of their complaints a stop to the destruction of their sacred places and ceremonial sites such as Tacushcalco and Nexapan archeological sites and the Sensunapan River. The Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court is responsible for addressing these types of cases. Manuela died from cancer in 2010 after not receiving timely and appropriate treatment in prison. He has instead touted his administration's "Territorial Control Plan" aimed at dismantling gangs and organized crime through the use of the military. Some of these factors push families in lower economic status into corruption, they do not enjoy the full confidence and cooperation of much of El assessed to have an obvious life-threatening emergency. The U.S. Department of State strongly recommends purchasing robbery, burglary, theft, and theft of vehicles) are the most For more information, review OSACs Report. On August 12, the DGCP again denied the PDDH access to prisons despite the Second Peace Court authorizing the PDDH entry to visit three former government officials in prison after receiving complaints from the officials relatives on their state of health. emergencies, dial, There is Disability advocates said that this low percentage was due to the lack of ramps and other accommodations for students with disabilities.