El Salvador Rises to Level 1 US State Dept. Safety Rating

San Salvador: The US State Department updated its travel alert levels for Central America, and El Salvador received the Level 1 (Normal Precautions) rating, the most favorable possible, in a dramatic change for a country that until a few years ago was considered one of the most dangerous in the hemisphere. The improvement reflects the dramatic decline in crime rates under President Nayib Bukele's administration.

Bukele's security policy, known as the state of exception, involved the mass capture of alleged gang members from groups like MS-13 and Barrio 18, with tens of thousands of people imprisoned in mega-prisons built to house the penal population. The results in terms of homicides are undeniable: from a rate of 52 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2018, El Salvador dropped to less than 3 per 100,000 in 2025.

Tourism Implications

The new security rating could be a turning point for tourism in El Salvador. The hotel industry is already reporting 35% growth in international bookings for 2026 compared to the same period of 2025. Surf tourism, Maya culture, and gastronomy circuits are being developed with government support to diversify the country's tourism offering.

However, human rights organizations maintain reservations about the sustainability of Bukele's model, noting that the state of exception has been extended for more than three years, with restrictions on procedural guarantees. Some analysts warn that the democratic quality of the regime and the possible arbitrariness of detentions could represent long-term risks for the stability of the country.

Regional Context

Costa Rica maintains Level 2, considered the security standard of popular European destinations. Nicaragua is also at Level 3, though for reasons of political repression rather than street crime. Panama, like Costa Rica, is Level 2. Mexico as a whole is Level 2, although several states are Level 3 or even Level 4 due to cartel violence.