Overview

• The president announced the milestone on X on August 30, saying it covers the period since he took office on June 1, 2019, and declined to deliver a national address.
• Officials cite the Plan Control Territorial and a state of exception in place since March 2022, with more than 88,800 arrests, suspended due-process protections, and over 30,000 security personnel deployed.
• Government figures show 114 killings in 2024 for a rate of 1.9 per 100,000, and 52 so far in 2025, including three “legal interventions” that are not counted in the official homicide tally.
• The CECOT mega-prison, built under Bukele’s administration with capacity for 40,000 inmates and housing about 20,000, remains a centerpiece of the anti-gang strategy.
• Rights organizations report thousands of abuse complaints and at least 442 deaths in custody, note exclusions in homicide statistics, and highlight fresh concern over U.S. deportations that include alleged Tren de Aragua affiliates.