A Miracle With a Dark Underbelly
El Salvador's transformation from a gang-ridden nation to one of the safest in the Western Hemisphere is undeniable. Homicide rates have plummeted from a staggering 103 per 100,000 people in 2015 to a mere 1.15 in 2025, a feat hailed as a miracle by Pentagon officials during a recent visit from Salvadoran Defense Minister René Merino Monroy. President Nayib Bukele’s iron-fisted policies, including the Territorial Control Plan and a relentless state of emergency, have dismantled criminal networks, earning praise from US leaders like Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Yet, beneath this glossy narrative lies a troubling reality.
The cost of this security has been catastrophic for human rights. Over 81,000 Salvadorans, including thousands of children, have been swept up in mass detentions since 2022, often without evidence or due process. At least 261 detainees have died in custody, and reports of torture and arbitrary arrests abound. Human rights organizations have sounded alarms, documenting a justice system gutted of independence, with mass trials and mandatory pretrial detentions replacing fair hearings. For those who value liberty and justice, this trade-off is no victory; it’s a betrayal of democratic principles.
The Pentagon’s warm embrace of El Salvador’s tactics, as seen in Hegseth’s glowing remarks about Bukele’s ‘model’ for the hemisphere, raises urgent questions. Why is the US, a nation founded on individual rights, so quick to applaud a regime that tramples them? The answer lies in a troubling alignment of priorities, where security and migration control overshadow the liberal ideals of fairness and accountability. For Americans who believe in these ideals, this partnership demands scrutiny, not celebration.
This isn’t about denying El Salvador’s progress. The streets are safer, and families live with less fear. But safety purchased at the expense of freedom is a hollow achievement. A liberal perspective insists that true security strengthens communities without sacrificing their rights. Anything less is a mirage, dazzling but fleeting.
The US Role: Complicity or Cooperation?
The United States has long shaped El Salvador’s trajectory, from Cold War interventions to modern security partnerships. Today, the relationship thrives on shared goals: curbing migration, dismantling cartels, and countering terrorism. Joint military exercises, intelligence sharing, and training programs, like those under US Southern Command, have bolstered El Salvador’s naval interdictions and counternarcotics operations. Hegseth praised these efforts, noting El Salvador’s role in detaining dangerous individuals at its Terrorism Confinement Center. But this cooperation comes with a catch.
By deepening ties with Bukele’s regime, the US risks endorsing authoritarianism. The mega-prison, a symbol of El Salvador’s crackdown, now houses deportees from the US, including alleged criminals sent without transparent evidence. The case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident wrongfully deported and trapped in this system, underscores the human cost. Despite a Supreme Court order to facilitate his return, both Bukele and President Trump have stonewalled, prompting outrage from lawmakers like Senator Chris Van Hollen, who has championed detainees’ rights. This defiance exposes a troubling disregard for judicial accountability.
Some argue that pragmatic engagement is necessary. El Salvador’s cooperation on migration control and regional security delivers tangible results, reducing illegal border crossings and disrupting transnational crime. Supporters of this view, including Trump administration officials, prioritize outcomes over process, claiming that human rights concerns are secondary to stability. But this argument falters under scrutiny. Partnering with a regime that jails thousands without evidence undermines the very democratic norms the US claims to uphold. It’s a shortsighted bargain, trading long-term legitimacy for fleeting gains.
A liberal stance rejects this calculus. Cooperation must not mean complicity. The US can support El Salvador’s security without endorsing tactics that erode justice. Targeted sanctions, aid conditioned on human rights reforms, and diplomatic pressure, as pursued by the Biden administration, offer a path forward. These measures signal that America values principles over expediency, a message that resonates with those who see democracy as non-negotiable.
A Fork in the Road for US Policy
El Salvador’s story is a test for US foreign policy. Historical parallels loom large. In the 1980s, the Reagan administration poured billions into El Salvador’s civil war, backing a government rife with human rights abuses to counter communism. The scars of that era, including the rise of gangs like MS-13 fueled by US deportations, linger today. Now, as the Trump administration doubles down on Bukele’s model, history risks repeating itself. A liberal perspective demands a different approach, one that learns from past mistakes.
Congressional debates over aid to El Salvador, with $124.8 million requested for FY2024, reflect this tension. Lawmakers like Van Hollen push for conditions tied to human rights, while others argue for unrestricted support to maintain influence. The choice is stark: align with a regime that delivers results at the cost of freedom, or champion a vision of security rooted in justice. For those who believe in liberal values, the latter is the only defensible path.
El Salvador’s military, bolstered by US training and a ballooning budget of $261.4 million in 2024, is a capable partner. But capability must not eclipse accountability. Joint exercises and counter-terrorism missions, like those targeting MS-13, are vital, yet they cannot justify ignoring the 85,000 Salvadorans detained under Bukele’s policies. A liberal foreign policy insists on balance, supporting allies while holding them to universal standards of human dignity.
Reclaiming the Moral High Ground
The allure of El Salvador’s security gains is powerful, but it cannot blind us to the erosion of rights and justice. For Americans who cherish liberal ideals, the path forward is clear. We must advocate for a US policy that prioritizes human rights alongside security, using aid, sanctions, and diplomacy to nudge El Salvador toward accountability. Leaders like Senator Van Hollen, who have confronted Bukele’s excesses head-on, show what’s possible when principle guides action.
This fight matters beyond El Salvador. It’s about the kind of world we want, one where safety and freedom coexist, not compete. By standing firm against authoritarian tactics, we affirm that liberal values, justice, fairness, and human dignity, are not negotiable. That’s a legacy worth building, one detainee, one courtroom, one policy at a time.