According to some human rights organizations, hundreds of detainees would die in the prisons of El Salvador during the attack on gangs. But President Nayib Bukele continues to reject criticism by recalling an answer that he had already discussed in 2022.

Faced with accusations from NGOs and international bodies, Bukele declared: "If you are so concerned, come and take them to your countries."

A phrase that is still relaunched today by its supporters as a symbol of the ever-increasing confrontation between the Salvadoran government and organisations that denounce alleged violations of human rights.

On the one hand, several NGOs say that hundreds of prisoners would die in prisons in the country and demand greater transparency on detention conditions.

On the other hand, the government defends its strategy by claiming that the measures taken drastically reduced the violence of criminal gangs and returned security to millions of citizens, after years marked by murders, extortion and control of the territory by gangs.

This is precisely the point on which the debate is concentrated: how to reconcile the protection of public security with respect for the fundamental rights of the persons held.

For some, the results obtained in the fight against crime justify the hard line of the government.

For others, even against criminals, the State must ensure full respect for human rights and legality.

The case of El Salvador continues to divide public opinion and raise a question destined to remain at the centre of international confrontation: how far can a State go into the fight against crime without compromising the principles of the rule of law?