possible, with multiple-vehicle convoys for safety. Find contact information for available medical services and available Former Security Minister Rogelio Rivas cited a 61% drop in femicides in the first six months of 2020, compared to the first half of 2019. The law requires judicial and prison authorities to provide a video copy of the virtual trial to the defendants within 72 hours so they may exercise their right to defense. Gang activity made it difficult for workers, who continued to be harassed and exposed to violence, to exercise their union activities freely. cases reported to the Embassy involve the loss of a U.S. passport during a The government repeatedly defied a June 2020 judicial order to allow expert witnesses access to inspect military archives to determine criminal responsibility for the 1981 El Mozote massacre. The law provides that employers must pay double time for work on designated annual holidays, a Christmas bonus based on the time of service of the employee, and 15 days of paid annual leave. Piracy is punishable by On May 8, the PNC found more than a dozen bodies, most of them girls and women, buried in the house of former police officer Hugo Ernesto Chavez Osorio, who was arrested on May 6 for the murders of two women. The government generally respected these rights, although in many areas the government could not ensure freedom of movement due to criminal gang activity. The law prohibits participating in, facilitating, or purchasing materials containing child pornography and provides for prison sentences of up to 16 years for conviction of violations. El Salvadors gangs are major narcotics trafficking organizations. According to a video widely circulated on social media, PNC officers Cristian Neftali Franco Vasquez, Elvis Alirio Montenegro Beltran, Omar Alexander Pineda Chevez, and Mario Enrique Perez Chavez beat the minor to force him to reveal the hiding location of drugs and weapons. 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. The government generally did not effectively enforce such laws. reports, Road Safety Abroad, Download the State Departments Crime Victims There were 2,203 rape cases reported to the police in 2018, up 8% from 2017. Check with insurance providers to ensure you have adequate medical In such circumstances detainees were permitted to request a Supreme Court review of their continued detention. For more information, refer to OSACs report, Traveling with Medications. These cases took place next to residential areas known for their affluence. 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. should contact OSACs, External links to other internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein, Understanding the According to a CONAIPD representative, the government did not effectively enforce legal requirements for access to buildings, information, and communications for persons with disabilities. Most attorneys pursued criminal prosecution and later requested civil compensation. Operators Prisons are extremely overcrowded; many prisoners do not have access to beds. Piracy is punishable by a jail sentence of 2-6 years. The document was compiled from various The law prohibits workers from appealing a government decision declaring a strike illegal. The Armed robberies accounted for 27% of all reported property carjacking, and aggravated street crime. Practices, and Evasive Driving During the rainy season CHALCHUAPA, El Salvador, July 19 (Reuters) - Neighbors knew something was wrong in that squat green house when a young woman's screams pierced the quiet of their neighborhood in Chalchuapa, a small town about 80 kilometers (50 miles) from San Salvador, this nation's capital. disabilities in employment, education, access to health care, or the provision Ombudsman has proactively condemned attacks against the LGBTI+ community. No information suggests that criminals specifically target U.S. citizens. and 18th Street (Barrio 18) being the The U.S. Department of State strongly recommends purchasing and hazardous at night. 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. U.S. victims Consequently, it is common for Salvadorans to include their photo, national ID number, date of birth, address, and other personal information on resumes and other documents. OSACs reports, The Overseas Travelers El Salvador does not appear to be a terrorist safe haven. emergencies, dial, There is A new report by an El Salvador watchdog group warns that pacts between gangs and public officials to lower homicides in El Salvador are promoting the wider use of forced disappearances, showing how gangs are still using violence to maintain political and territorial control. 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. Inspectors did not have the authority to initiate unannounced inspections or sanctions. The government did not recognize indigenous persons of the Afro-descendent community in the last population census in 2007. Diaz Ramirez and several gang members killed a woman in Tutunichapa, San Salvador Department, in 2019 because she refused to have sex with them. A and typhoid immunizations. to the 1988 United Nations Drug Convention. Although the constitution provides for an independent judiciary, the government did not always respect judicial independence, and the judiciary was burdened by inefficiency. Division for the Protection of Women, Children, Adolescents, and Other While 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. After the killing of a bus employee on July 2, there was a seven-day work stoppage of public buses on Route 151 in San Jose Villanueva, La Libertad Department, forcing approximately 5,000 persons who used the 24 buses on the route to walk or find more costly detours. WebWe would like to show you a description here but the site wont allow us. State Departments webpage on, There is External links to other internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein. Devices: Trends & Best Practices. tour companies frequently employ national police officers from the tourist only one private ambulance service with a fleet of vehicles in San Salvador More than 90% of 1,000 Salvadorans polled said they had little or no trust in government institutions, according to a 2020 survey by global corruption monitor Transparency International. The election reports published by the Organization of American States (OAS) and the EU electoral mission noted the election generally met international standards. According to a newly published survey, the first of its kind carried out by the General Directorate of Statistics and Census (DIGESTYC), six of 10 women older than age 15 suffered some type of sexual violence in their life. MS-13 a Transnational Criminal Organization in its list of Specially Designated Nationals. On April 25, Zashy del Cid, a transgender woman, died in San Miguel after she was shot in the back while walking down the street. According to union representatives, the government inconsistently enforced labor rights for a wide range of workers, and enforcement was dependent upon the political affiliations of their labor unions. procedures are not always clear or easily understood. For more information, refer to OSACs report, The CDC offers additional information on vaccines and health guidance for, There is no Country Council in San Salvador. Recognizing the threat posed by MS-13, basis, usually causing little damage. Central For more information, review OSACs report, The Overseas Travelers Guide to ATM Skimmers & Fraud. and kidnapping. Medicines The president defended the votes, claiming the Legislative Assembly had the authority to do this according to the constitution. Despite these provisions, sexual exploitation of children remained a problem. The PNC reported that 545 of those reported missing were later found alive and 51 found dead. For example the justice system lacked DNA analysis and other forensic capabilities. Of these, simple theft, including burglary, accounted for 63% of all reported Critical or Contraband? There are approximately twenty active volcanoes in El Salvador. Osorio's home in Chalchuapa continues to draw visitors, some merely curious, others hoping for answers that may not come. rains forced the government to close schools nationwide for several days. and adults were exposed to forced begging, domestic work, agricultural labor, construction, textile industry, and street work. Salvador is located in an active seismic zone, experiencing numerous In May 2019, a 6.6-magnitude All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. For more information, review OSACs report, Central America Natural Disaster Emergency Planning: OSAC Guidance and Resources. 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. A report by Association Communicating and Training Trans Women in El Salvador (COMCAVIS Trans) found that gangs were responsible for nearly two-thirds of the violence against the LGBTQI+ community. cases reported to the Embassy involve the loss of a U.S. passport during a threat of violent crime in El Salvador often leads to the curtailment of The PDDH ombudsman, Jose Apolonio Tobar, requested access to monitor conditions in the prisons but had not been allowed to enter the prisons since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020. Adults from neighboring countries were forced to work in construction, domestic work, and other informal sector jobs, sometimes under threat of physical violence. They said that they were innocent of the accusations and claimed the organization and other NGOs who were critical of the actions of the government had been persecuted. Review the State Departments webpage on security for LGBTI+ The threat of violent crime in El Salvador leads to the curtailment of recreational opportunities. this report to gain baseline knowledge of security conditions in El 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. (medevac). Discrimination in employment and occupation occurred with respect to age, gender, disability, and sexual orientation or gender identity (see sections 6 and 7.e.). goods. News media regularly carry reports of riders robbed at Few access ramps or provisions for the mobility of persons with disabilities existed. travelers. During the rainy season (May-October), heavy and persistent storms can cause landslides, topple trees/power lines, and wash away roads and bridges. Review OSACs report, Understanding the Consular Travel Advisory System. The U.S. Department of State has assessed San Salvador as being a CRITICAL-threat location for crime directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. Homicides The PDDH regularly issued advisory opinions, reports, and press releases on prominent human rights cases. The National Council for Comprehensive Attention to Persons with Disability (CONAIPD), composed of representatives from multiple government entities, is the governmental agency responsible for protecting disability rights, but it lacked enforcement power. and Ethnic Violence. The publication took down that report two days later after El Salvador's Attorney General obtained a court order forcing it to do so. Patricia Manca traveled from Ciudad Delgado, part of metro San Salvador, clutching a photo of her 17-year-old granddaughter, Camilia Rivas, who has been missing since April 2020. All 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. blind corners and over hills is common. Medication, Im Drinking What in My Public hospitals are very crowded. Police generally failed to act on these reports. shortages (particularly radios and vehicles) limit their ability to deter or Romeo Auerbach, a legislative assembly member from the Grand Alliance for National Unity (GANA) party, justified the reform by arguing that the print media had evaded paying taxes for decades. This number represented well less than 1 percent of the total cases of missing persons initiated by the Prosecutors Office. 2017, 50 in 2018, and 36 in 2019; this new rate remains more than seven times the in personal injury, apprehensions for DUI, and for criminal acts, including He has instead touted his administration's "Territorial Control Plan" aimed at dismantling gangs and organized crime through the use of the military. On January 15, the Specialized Sentencing Court for a Life Free of Violence for Women sentenced David Eliseo Diaz Ramirez to 35 years in prison for femicide. Administration:The PDDH has authority to investigate credible allegations of inhuman conditions. On January 11,Diario El Mundoreported that coffee farmers complained that gangs operating near the farms did not allow cutters from outside the neighborhood to enter the farms to work unless they paid an extortion fee. Likewise, road lighting in urban areas is generally fair, but generally non-existent on roads and highways outside urbanized areas. COMCAVIS Trans reported that the LGBTQI+ community faced discrimination when obtaining health care. robbery, burglary, theft, and theft of vehicles) are the most densely populated country in Central America, with more than six million people, Significant delays during the investigation and legal process are common. The penalty for conviction of rape is generally imprisonment for six to 10 years. According to a Human Rights Observatory of the Central American University (OUDH) report published in September, extermination groups operated with police, military, and civilian members, simulating legal actions such as searches, raids, and police operations in addition to illegal actions such as arbitrary detentions and killings. of crime should contact the police and the U.S. Embassy. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the governments Civil Aviation Authority as compliant with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards for oversight of El Salvadors air carrier operations. U.S. government interests. 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. However, its defenses against such an attack are thought to be weak. 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. On July 30, the president summoned representatives from civil society organizations for a four-hour closed-door meeting at the Presidential House. Sixty-three percent of women ages 15 to 19 and 72 percent of women ages 30 to 34 reported having suffered sexual violence. OSAC provides the latest safety- and security-related information, public announcements, travel advisories, terrorist group profiles, country crime and safety reports, and more to its constituency of more than 4,600 U.S. companies and organizations with overseas interests. In those cases, after the jury determines innocence or guilt, a panel of judges decides the sentence. There is upon arrest or detention. Review the News media regularly carry reports of riders robbed at stops or while on the bus. He was released the same day with no charges filed. WebThe Association of Journalists of El Salvador (APES) reported 173 press freedom violations between January and August 2021, including attacks, digital harassment, and restrictions 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. For more in-depth information, review OSACs El Salvador country page Civil society organizations condemned this action and characterized it as a step backwards in the fight against impunity and corruption in the country. Other impediments to effective law enforcement The Ministry of Labor did not report on forced labor; however, it increased investigations. Homicides accounted for 14% of all reported crime incidents in El Salvador in 2018. 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. stops or while on the bus. Unions reported that their members frequently faced violence or threats of violence and that viable legal recourse against such violence was unavailable. threat of violent crime in El Salvador often leads to the curtailment of For foreign citizens who want to live permanently in the United States. The government did not adequately enforce these laws, and penalties were not commensurate with those for similar crimes, such as fraud. in combating home invasion. between the police, prosecutors, and corrections. open sources and (U) embassy reporting. demonstrations are peaceful, they can turn violent. After President Bukele appointed three commissioners to the IAIP, the institute decided in December 2020 to postpone publication of the report. Build the strongest argument relying on authoritative content, attorney-editor expertise, and industry defining technology. By comparison, in 2017, according to the ministry, there were 140,700 children and adolescents working, of whom 91,257 were employed in dangerous work in the informal sector. According to the NGO Democracy, Transparency, and Justice Foundation, the new law seeks to retroactively protect government officials from misuse of public money for pandemic spending that occurred before the approval of the law. negative sentiment toward individuals who identify as LGBTI+. The current U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory at the date of this reports publication assesses El Salvador at Level 3, indicating travelers should reconsider travel to the country due to crime. The constitution provides for the freedoms of peaceful assembly and association, and the government generally respected these rights, although many nongovernmental organizations that were critical of the government or whose activities did not align with government policies faced threats or restrictions during the year (see section 5). A copy of the prescription from the prescribing doctor will be helpful if immigration or customs authorities question you about your medications. Birth Registration:Children derive citizenship by birth within the country and from their parents. The bail system functioned adequately in most cases. Discrimination:The constitution grants women and men the same legal status in family, religious, personal status, and nationality laws. Many prisons The DGME notified Lizarraga that he had five days to leave the country. In November several members of NGOs, civil society organizations and journalists received an alert on their cellphones from Apple saying they may have been the target of state-sponsored espionage. There were no legal cases involving instances of terrorism affecting U.S. citizens or facilities brought before the judicial system in 2018, nor were there any judicial developments that would appear to have a significant impact on U.S. counter-terrorism efforts. Some human-rights groups have questioned the veracity of the administration's claims of dramatic declines in crime. Carry an adequate supply of any required medication in its original, clearly labeled container. operation: 0800-1700, Monday-Friday.
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