Is El Salvador Safe?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:El Salvador is supposed to be safer these days though with the recent current events - I would go there. We went to Guatemala over the winter for a week with kids. Had no issues - lovely country. Though I thought it was telling that everyone we met when they heard we would be wrapping up our trip in Antigua told us that we could let our kids roam free as it was very safe there. Does that mean the rest isn't?

Been to Belize and Costa Rica before with no issues.

I personally wouldn't do Honduras but would consider Panama and Nicaragua.

PP here - would not go to El Salvador due to their slightly insane president!

So El Salvador’s murder rate has fallen from 107 to 1.9 per 100,000 in 10 years and people are saying the president is insane or awful? Sure I wouldn’t want to live there but I wonder what bubble some people are living in.

El Salvador's Bukele has put over 500 per 100,000 people in CECOT torture jail without trial.

Bukele claimed that 10% of them were innocent and later released.

And I have no reason to trust his claimed numbers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:El Salvador is supposed to be safer these days though with the recent current events - I would go there. We went to Guatemala over the winter for a week with kids. Had no issues - lovely country. Though I thought it was telling that everyone we met when they heard we would be wrapping up our trip in Antigua told us that we could let our kids roam free as it was very safe there. Does that mean the rest isn't?

Been to Belize and Costa Rica before with no issues.

I personally wouldn't do Honduras but would consider Panama and Nicaragua.

PP here - would not go to El Salvador due to their slightly insane president!

So El Salvador’s murder rate has fallen from 107 to 1.9 per 100,000 in 10 years and people are saying the president is insane or awful? Sure I wouldn’t want to live there but I wonder what bubble some people are living in.

PP again - yes - using questionable methods - the president has made El Salvador much, much safer for all the people who live there. However, many dictators do that originally. My students who are from there have the same mixed reaction. But, as an American I would not go there as I would not feel safe that my rights would be protected. Same reason I get nervous in China - physically safe but if anything went awry could I be sure I would get home. Do I worry enough not to go if I have a good reason? No. But, do I chose other options if possible? Yes.

I got news OP - US is scariest place for foreigners currently! Having been to China, let me just say that they could care less about you. They do not waste their brain cells at all on you. Americans are brainwashed into thinking China is a big bad enemy. The truth is, they are a successful civilization with years of experience over US and while they don’t do things we approve of, they are busy living their best life. Their government isn’t one we approve of but their way of life is so different from ours they could care less about us!

Most countries feel this way. Very few countries want to get caught up in drama like Trump does.

China has been a country since 1949. And no, they only became successful when they adopted capitalism in the late 1980s and we decided to bring them into the WTO.

Oh puhlease. China has been around for thousands of years and spent a few decades as Communist. Agree with their political ideology or not, it’s hard to argue they haven’t been ‘successful’. I would suggest you get out of your bubble and see the world, but here you are in the travel forum so maybe travel doesn’t broaden people’s thinking as much as they say.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:El Salvador is supposed to be safer these days though with the recent current events - I would go there. We went to Guatemala over the winter for a week with kids. Had no issues - lovely country. Though I thought it was telling that everyone we met when they heard we would be wrapping up our trip in Antigua told us that we could let our kids roam free as it was very safe there. Does that mean the rest isn't?

Been to Belize and Costa Rica before with no issues.

I personally wouldn't do Honduras but would consider Panama and Nicaragua.

PP here - would not go to El Salvador due to their slightly insane president!

So El Salvador’s murder rate has fallen from 107 to 1.9 per 100,000 in 10 years and people are saying the president is insane or awful? Sure I wouldn’t want to live there but I wonder what bubble some people are living in.

El Salvador's Bukele has put over 500 per 100,000 people in CECOT torture jail without trial.

Bukele claimed that 10% of them were innocent and later released.

And I have no reason to trust his claimed numbers.

Ok, you choose blood in the streets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:El Salvador is supposed to be safer these days though with the recent current events - I would go there. We went to Guatemala over the winter for a week with kids. Had no issues - lovely country. Though I thought it was telling that everyone we met when they heard we would be wrapping up our trip in Antigua told us that we could let our kids roam free as it was very safe there. Does that mean the rest isn't?

Been to Belize and Costa Rica before with no issues.

I personally wouldn't do Honduras but would consider Panama and Nicaragua.

PP here - would not go to El Salvador due to their slightly insane president!

So El Salvador’s murder rate has fallen from 107 to 1.9 per 100,000 in 10 years and people are saying the president is insane or awful? Sure I wouldn’t want to live there but I wonder what bubble some people are living in.

PP again - yes - using questionable methods - the president has made El Salvador much, much safer for all the people who live there. However, many dictators do that originally. My students who are from there have the same mixed reaction. But, as an American I would not go there as I would not feel safe that my rights would be protected. Same reason I get nervous in China - physically safe but if anything went awry could I be sure I would get home. Do I worry enough not to go if I have a good reason? No. But, do I chose other options if possible? Yes.

I got news OP - US is scariest place for foreigners currently! Having been to China, let me just say that they could care less about you. They do not waste their brain cells at all on you. Americans are brainwashed into thinking China is a big bad enemy. The truth is, they are a successful civilization with years of experience over US and while they don’t do things we approve of, they are busy living their best life. Their government isn’t one we approve of but their way of life is so different from ours they could care less about us!

Most countries feel this way. Very few countries want to get caught up in drama like Trump does.

China has been a country since 1949. And no, they only became successful when they adopted capitalism in the late 1980s and we decided to bring them into the WTO.

Oh puhlease. China has been around for thousands of years and spent a few decades as Communist. Agree with their political ideology or not, it’s hard to argue they haven’t been ‘successful’. I would suggest you get out of your bubble and see the world, but here you are in the travel forum so maybe travel doesn’t broaden people’s thinking as much as they say.

China is a land mass where various leaders and regimes have ruled over thousands of years, including centuries that were dominated by warlords. It is not a single country that has lasted that long. Since I teach history and political science, I'm comfortable with my assessment. The vast majority of the population were peasants until the last few decades, so don't lecture me about their success.

[Anonymous]

Much safer now than it was.

No country is "safe" though. You can be harmed anywhere.

Belize is the best to visit, small and easy to see it all.

Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua I would avoid.

[Anonymous]

I was there a few months ago. It's very safe. In fact, it has the 2nd lowest homicide rate in the Americas (Canada is #1).

Yes, they got that way by declaring a state of emergency, but the locals I talk to accept it and their president was re-elected by a very large margin. Before he took power, you couldn't go out even during the day without fear of being shot or kidnapped. Now, people walk freely any time of day without such fear.

It's relatively cheap too, and they use the US Dollar as their currency. If you're staying in San Salvador, then Zona Rosa is a nice neigborhood and walkable to many things. Actually Google's only central American offices are not far from there too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was there a few months ago. It's very safe. In fact, it has the 2nd lowest homicide rate in the Americas (Canada is #1).

Yes, they got that way by declaring a state of emergency, but the locals I talk to accept it and their president was re-elected by a very large margin. Before he took power, you couldn't go out even during the day without fear of being shot or kidnapped. Now, people walk freely any time of day without such fear.

It's relatively cheap too, and they use the US Dollar as their currency. If you're staying in San Salvador, then Zona Rosa is a nice neigborhood and walkable to many things. Actually Google's only central American offices are not far from there too.

Ay caramba!

[Anonymous]

It's also cheap and easy to get there, thanks to the large Salvadoran population in this area. Looking at next week, Avianca operates 3 direct flights a day from Dulles, and it's $350 round-trip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was there a few months ago. It's very safe. In fact, it has the 2nd lowest homicide rate in the Americas (Canada is #1).

Yes, they got that way by declaring a state of emergency, but the locals I talk to accept it and their president was re-elected by a very large margin. Before he took power, you couldn't go out even during the day without fear of being shot or kidnapped. Now, people walk freely any time of day without such fear.

It's relatively cheap too, and they use the US Dollar as their currency. If you're staying in San Salvador, then Zona Rosa is a nice neigborhood and walkable to many things. Actually Google's only central American offices are not far from there too.

Ay caramba!

Google's offices are right in Zona Rosa, as are many big international hotels like Sheraton. The place has really changed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was there a few months ago. It's very safe. In fact, it has the 2nd lowest homicide rate in the Americas (Canada is #1).

Yes, they got that way by declaring a state of emergency, but the locals I talk to accept it and their president was re-elected by a very large margin. Before he took power, you couldn't go out even during the day without fear of being shot or kidnapped. Now, people walk freely any time of day without such fear.

It's relatively cheap too, and they use the US Dollar as their currency. If you're staying in San Salvador, then Zona Rosa is a nice neigborhood and walkable to many things. Actually Google's only central American offices are not far from there too.

Ay caramba!

Google's offices are right in Zona Rosa, as are many big international hotels like Sheraton. The place has really changed.

LMAO! That's funny but not surprising. Men love topless clubs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Much safer now than it was.

No country is "safe" though. You can be harmed anywhere.

Belize is the best to visit, small and easy to see it all.

Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua I would avoid.

Would you avoid Nicaragua? Or all 3?

Write clearly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Much safer now than it was.

No country is "safe" though. You can be harmed anywhere.

Belize is the best to visit, small and easy to see it all.

Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua I would avoid.

Would you avoid Nicaragua? Or all 3?

Write clearly.

Would avoid all those, personally.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Much safer now than it was.

No country is "safe" though. You can be harmed anywhere.

Belize is the best to visit, small and easy to see it all.

Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua I would avoid.

Would you avoid Nicaragua? Or all 3?

Write clearly.

Would avoid all those, personally.

Are you the PP who posted that?

[Anonymous]

tl;dr

No, not safe.

[Anonymous]

Obviously not, they have USA citizens being held hostage.

Costa Rica?