Thousands of children have been detained in El Salvador as part of an antigang campaign initiated by President Nayib Bukele. Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported that many children faced abuse while in custody.

The arrests, which began in 2022, aimed to eradicate gangs from the country but led to widespread human rights violations against minors, as documented by HRW.

Reports indicated that police arrested 3,319 minors in indiscriminate raids, often focusing on low-income neighborhoods with high crime rates. These children, many of whom had no ties to gang activity, were targeted based on appearance or socio-economic status.

HRW's report revealed that approximately 60 children experienced abuse while in detention, suffering beatings, torture, inadequate access to essentials like food and healthcare, and isolation from their families.

Some children were victims of violence and assault by adult detainees, with authorities failing to protect them from harm. This dual mistreatment by gangs and security forces may have long-lasting effects on the children.

The children faced unjust imprisonment with minimal evidence and lack of proper legal procedures, resulting in sentences of up to 12 years for vaguely defined offenses.

El Salvador's stringent crackdown on gangs, under a state of emergency declaration, has significantly reduced the homicide rate and imprisoned over 80,000 alleged gang members.

Despite these measures making El Salvador one of the safest countries in the region, President Bukele's tactics have garnered substantial public support.

‘Don’t complain about what happens’

Following his re-election, President Bukele vowed to target price gougers with the same force used against gangs, warning them to lower prices or face consequences.

Human Rights Watch emphasized the need for El Salvador's government to end abusive practices in its anticrime efforts, instead advocating for a rights-based, effective strategy to combat criminal organizations and protect vulnerable children.