Introduction: A War on Gangs
In 2015, a businessman in El Salvador was shot dead for refusing to pay a mere $21 to a gang. Fast forward to 2022, and a father clutches a picture of his daughter, a psychology student, who has been imprisoned for six months without being charged. These stark stories represent the brutal extremes of life in El Salvador, a country once plagued by one of the highest murder rates in the world. However, in just a few years, the situation has drastically changed. El Salvador’s murder rate is now among the lowest globally, a shift that has drawn both praise and criticism.
At the heart of this transformation is CECOT—the Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (Center for Confinement of Terrorism). This massive, ultra-secure prison, often referred to as the “Alcatraz of South America,” represents President Nayib Bukele’s harsh but effective response to the country’s gang crisis. But the construction of this colossal prison has raised pressing questions: Has the war on gangs gone too far? And at what cost to human rights?
El Salvador’s CECOT: A Modern Fortress
El Salvador’s CECOT prison is a 57-acre complex that stands isolated in the desert, miles from any civilian settlement. Built in 2022 to address overcrowded prisons and intensify the state’s crackdown on gang members, CECOT is considered one of the most secure prison facilities in the world. Surrounded by electrified fences, guard towers, and patrolled by the military, CECOT has layers of security that make any escape attempts virtually impossible.
The prison’s capacity is staggering, with enough room to hold 40,000 inmates. Each of the 256 cells holds over 150 prisoners, a stark contrast to the cramped cells of smaller prisons worldwide. Despite its size, CECOT’s most notable feature isn’t its scale, but its role in a broader narrative—the elimination of gang influence in El Salvador.
CECOT’s security features are extreme. From armed guards and rifle towers to surveillance cameras that cover every inch of the facility, the prison is designed to be inescapable. Cells are concrete boxes with basic metal frames as beds and no windows. The harsh conditions are justified by the government as necessary to deal with dangerous inmates, but critics argue they amount to inhumane treatment.
The Rise of Gang Violence and the Birth of CECOT
El Salvador’s gang problems didn’t start overnight. They can be traced back to the 1980s, during the Salvadoran Civil War, when many Salvadorans fled to the United States. In Los Angeles, two major gangs, MS-13 and Barrio 18, were born. By the 1990s, the U.S. government began deporting gang members back to El Salvador, where they took advantage of a weak post-war state and built criminal empires.
El Salvador became one of the most violent countries in the world, with murder rates reaching an astonishing 103 per 100,000 people by 2015. Extortion, drug trafficking, and brutal murders were common, and the government struggled to maintain control. The prison system, overwhelmed by the influx of gang members, became fertile ground for these criminal organizations, with inmates essentially running some of the country’s largest prisons.
The turning point came with the election of President Nayib Bukele in 2019. Bukele, a political outsider, vowed to take back control of El Salvador from the gangs. His Plan de Control Territorial (Territorial Control Plan) sought to dismantle gang networks, and it quickly became apparent that new, more secure prison infrastructure would be essential to achieving this.
Life Inside CECOT: Brutality or Necessary Control?
Life inside CECOT is harsh, and that’s intentional. Inmates are constantly monitored, and solitary confinement cells are windowless, pitch-black concrete boxes. Inmates are denied mattresses, sheets, and even cutlery, as any item could potentially be fashioned into a weapon. This stringent control is designed to keep gang members isolated from one another, and prevent any attempts at organizing from within.
Yet, for all its security measures, CECOT also represents a growing concern: the erosion of human rights. Since the state of exception was declared in 2022, over 80,000 arrests have been made, with many innocent people swept up in the anti-gang crackdown. Innocent or not, once someone is sent to CECOT, they’re unlikely to ever be released. Inmates can be held for months, even years, without trial.
Bukele’s administration has faced accusations of torture, extrajudicial killings, and lack of due process. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have reported numerous abuses in El Salvador’s prisons, including violence, denial of medical care, and arbitrary detention.
While CECOT is a monument to state power, it’s also a reflection of the darker side of Bukele’s government—one that prioritizes security at the expense of human dignity.
The Legacy of CECOT: A Mixed Outcome
There’s no denying that Bukele’s hardline approach has dramatically lowered El Salvador’s crime rates. The murder rate has plummeted, tourism is on the rise, and many Salvadorans report feeling safer than ever. A 2024 Gallup poll showed a 92% approval rating for Bukele, an extraordinary level of public support. For a country that had been in the grips of gang violence for decades, Bukele’s policies seem to have worked, at least on the surface.
However, the long-term consequences of CECOT and the state of exception remain unclear. While crime has fallen, El Salvador’s drift toward authoritarianism cannot be ignored. The government has used its powers not just to target gangs but also to silence critics and political opponents. Freedom of speech has been curtailed, and the legal system is increasingly under the control of Bukele’s allies.
CECOT may be effective in deterring gang violence, but it has also become a symbol of an undemocratic state that rules with an iron fist. The question now is whether Bukele’s strategy is sustainable. Can El Salvador maintain this level of security without sliding further into authoritarianism? And what will become of the thousands of people, some innocent, who are now locked away in CECOT?
Conclusion: A Monument to Security, or a Human Rights Catastrophe?
The creation of CECOT represents a turning point for El Salvador. It is a state-of-the-art facility designed to keep the country’s most dangerous criminals off the streets, and by many measures, it has succeeded. But the prison’s very existence raises uncomfortable questions about the future of human rights in El Salvador. Is it possible to fight crime without compromising the rights of ordinary citizens? Can El Salvador find a balance between security and freedom?
As El Salvador continues to forge its path, CECOT will remain a symbol of the choices made in the name of safety. For now, the streets are safer, but the cost has been high—and the future uncertain.
FAQ: Understanding CECOT and El Salvador’s War on Gangs
1. What is CECOT, and why was it built?
CECOT is El Salvador’s ultra-secure prison built to house the country’s most dangerous gang members. It was constructed in 2022 as part of President Bukele’s strategy to combat gang violence.
2. How does CECOT compare to other prisons?
CECOT is one of the largest and most secure prisons in the Americas, with enough capacity to hold 40,000 inmates. Its security measures include multiple layers of fencing, surveillance, and heavily guarded perimeter patrols.
3. What is life like for prisoners at CECOT?
Prisoners at CECOT face harsh conditions, including 24/7 surveillance, minimal access to the outside world, and limited personal freedoms. Cells are overcrowded, and solitary confinement is common.
4. How has Bukele’s strategy affected crime rates in El Salvador?
Bukele’s policies have significantly reduced El Salvador’s crime rates, with the murder rate dropping to one of the lowest in the world. However, these gains have come at the cost of human rights violations, including arbitrary detentions and torture.