El Salvador’s infamous new prison, CECOT, holds thousands of the world’s most dangerous people. With no real beds, no sunlight, and no hope of release, these tattooed gang members are packed into cement cells with no sense of privacy. With only 30 minutes outside of the cells for exercise, these men have essentially been stripped of their humanity and treated almost like animals. CECOT has received massive backlash from human rights and legal organizations. Despite all the backlash, El Salvador’s president, Nayib Bukele, has not backed down. A firm believer in the idea that taking the life of someone automatically gives up one’s right to humanity. All the residents in CECOT have taken the lives of more than two people, and, therefore, must pay the consequences.
El Salvador’s president, Nayib Bukele, is well aware of the prison environment and has publicly stated, “I understand that prison conditions are much better in the developed world. In fact, people in prisons there often live better than those living in poverty here.” Despite his acknowledgment of the conditions of CECOT, he has no intention of changing it, and any smart man would agree. Before Nayib Bukele’s election in 2019, El Salvador was recognized as one of the most dangerous countries in the world. With a homicide rate of 106.3 homicides for every 100,000 people, it led every country in violent crimes per population. The two prominent gangs, MS-13 and Barrio 18, violently controlled the streets of El Salvador reaping unimaginable amounts of violence. Nayib Bukele knew he had to take out the source of all the crime.
In 2019, the year of Nayib Bukele’s election, he immediately cracked down on the gangs. Police and armed military forces were brought in to completely sweep the gangs off the streets, resulting in mass imprisonments. Unlike the U.S. and other countries, these prisoners were not given a trial or any legal procedures but were instantly caught and transferred to CECOT. Bukele was not playing games or doing things a different way, he sent a message to the gang members that he was serious. Bukele’s approach may be controversial, but the results speak for themselves. While the U.S. prison system struggles with repeat offenders, overcrowded facilities, and a failing rehabilitation model, El Salvador has taken a no-nonsense stance that has effectively dismantled the criminal underworld that once terrorized the nation.
The U.S. justice system, despite its extensive due process and legal protections, has become a revolving door for criminals. Many violent offenders serve only a fraction of their sentences due to plea deals, parole, and lenient judges. Even in maximum-security prisons, inmates have access to libraries, television, recreation, and in some cases, college courses. Instead of truly deterring crime, the U.S. prison system often allows criminals to regroup, establish deeper gang connections behind bars, and eventually return to society with little behavioral change. Many complain that too much freedom is offered to these convicted prisoners, but the U.S. dares not implement harsher punishments.
Comparing this contrasts El Salvador, where there is no illusion of comfort in CECOT. The inmates, many of whom are hardened murderers, are treated with the severity their crimes warrant. They no longer have the ability to run gang operations from inside prison, a problem that U.S. authorities have long struggled to contain. At CECOT, there are no gang meetings, no contraband cell phones, and certainly no luxurious rehabilitation programs. The sole focus is punishment and containment, two things that have proven far more effective than the “second-chance” ideology pushed in Western democracies. The idea and reality that these prisoners will never see the outside world again is a main theme in this prison’s environment.
As they say, the numbers do not lie. Since Bukele’s security measures began, El Salvador’s homicide rate has plummeted by more than 90%, making it one of the safest countries in Latin America. A country that once averaged 106.3 homicides per 100,000 people has now plummeted to 1.9 homicides per 100,000 people. Once a place where people feared stepping outside their homes at night, the streets are now filled with families and businesses thriving in a way that was previously unimaginable, a true testament to the determination of Nayib Bukele. Meanwhile, the U.S. continues to grapple with rising violent crime, repeat offenders, and failed rehabilitation programs that do little more than extend a criminal’s career.
Critics argue that Bukele’s policies violate human rights, but Bukele poses the question, “What about the rights of the victims? What about the thousands of innocent Salvadorans who lived in constant fear before these gangsters were locked away?” Unlike in the U.S., where criminals are often given light sentences and chances to re-offend, El Salvador has eradicated that cycle. Criminals fear the consequences, and that fear has led to an unprecedented decline in crime.
Instead of worrying about whether inmates are treated too harshly, perhaps the U.S. should learn and adjust following the footsteps of Bukele’s approach, which has proven to work. A prison sentence should be viewed as punishment, not an opportunity for criminals to network, receive free benefits, and bide their time until their next crime spree. The dramatic success in El Salvador proves that when you treat criminals as criminals rather than misguided souls in need of a second chance, crime rates will drop.
Bukele has shown the world that a ruthless crackdown works. And as long as his policies continue to yield historic crime reductions, it’s clear that harsh punishment isn’t just justified; it’s necessary.
Fantastic job, Tae! Well written with factual information. Common sense wins! You’re going places, kid!