A Miracle in Our Hemisphere
El Salvador, a nation once crippled by gang violence, has pulled off what many deemed impossible. Under President Nayib Bukele, the country has slashed homicide rates and dismantled criminal networks with a ferocity that’s left the world stunned. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, welcoming Salvadoran Defense Minister René Francis Merino Monroy to the Pentagon, didn’t mince words: El Salvador’s transformation is nothing short of a miracle. This isn’t just a feel-good story. It’s a wake-up call for every nation in our hemisphere, including the United States, to get serious about law and order.
Hegseth’s praise wasn’t empty rhetoric. El Salvador’s streets, once ruled by cartels and thugs, are now safer than many American cities. The numbers speak for themselves: homicides dropped from a staggering 106 per 100,000 in 2015 to just 2.2 in 2023. This isn’t luck. It’s the result of bold, unapologetic leadership that puts security first. While some wring their hands over tactics, the reality is clear: El Salvador is winning, and America is taking notes.
The Pentagon meeting underscored a deepening U.S.-El Salvador partnership, one rooted in shared goals of sovereignty and stability. Hegseth lauded El Salvador’s navy for its drug interdiction prowess, noting the U.S. donation of patrol boats in 2023 as a symbol of trust. This isn’t just about boats or photo ops. It’s about building a bulwark against the chaos that threatens our southern flank, from drug trafficking to China’s creeping influence.
What makes El Salvador’s story so compelling is its defiance of naysayers. Critics, often cloaked in human rights rhetoric, claim Bukele’s methods are too harsh. Yet the Salvadoran people, who’ve lived under the shadow of gangs like MS-13, aren’t complaining. They’re thriving. This raises a question: why are some so quick to condemn a strategy that works?
A Model for Crushing Crime
El Salvador’s anti-gang campaign, launched in 2022, is a masterclass in decisive action. Over 84,000 suspected gang members—roughly 1.7% of the population—now sit behind bars, many in the high-security CECOT prison. The state of emergency, still in place, allows for swift arrests and mass trials, cutting through the red tape that often paralyzes justice systems. The result? Extortion is down, businesses are reopening, and families feel safe again. This is what happens when a government prioritizes its people over political correctness.
The U.S. has wisely leaned into this partnership. Joint deportation operations, including El Salvador’s agreement to house over 200 suspected gang members deported from the U.S., show a level of cooperation that’s rare in today’s world. Hegseth’s nod to El Salvador’s “punch above its weight” mentality isn’t just flattery. It’s a recognition that small nations, when led with conviction, can outshine larger ones mired in bureaucracy.
Contrast this with the hand-wringing from human rights groups and international bodies like the UN. They decry arbitrary detentions and harsh prison conditions, pointing to over 300 deaths in custody as evidence of abuse. These concerns aren’t baseless, but they miss the bigger picture. El Salvador faced an existential threat from gangs that operated with impunity. Doing nothing wasn’t an option. The crackdown, while imperfect, has restored order where chaos once reigned. Critics offer no viable alternative, only complaints.
The Salvadoran military’s role in this fight is another point of contention. Since 2022, soldiers have cordoned off neighborhoods, manned checkpoints, and led arrests alongside police. This blurring of military and law enforcement lines has some clutching at their pearls, citing democratic erosion. Yet history shows that extraordinary threats demand extraordinary measures. El Salvador’s military, trained in part by U.S. Southern Command, has proven effective where civilian police alone fell short.
Countering China’s Shadow
El Salvador’s success isn’t just about crime. It’s a geopolitical chess move in a region where China’s influence looms large. Beijing has poured billions into Central America, from Panama’s ports to Mexico’s energy sector, aiming to reshape the hemisphere in its image. The Belt and Road Initiative may have lost steam in Panama, but China’s grip persists through backchannels and ideological outreach to local elites. This isn’t speculation—it’s a fact, backed by over $2.5 billion in Chinese investments in Panama alone since 2005.
The U.S., under President Trump’s leadership, isn’t sitting idly by. Hegseth’s recent trip to Panama, where agreements were signed to secure the Panama Canal and boost joint military exercises, signals a broader strategy to push back against Beijing’s “malign influence.” El Salvador, with its fierce commitment to sovereignty, is a key ally in this fight. Its rejection of China’s overtures in favor of U.S. partnership sends a message: the Western Hemisphere isn’t up for grabs.
Some argue that China’s economic offers are too tempting for cash-strapped nations to resist. They point to public opinion in Central America, increasingly open to Beijing’s development model. This view underestimates the power of principled alliances. El Salvador’s alignment with the U.S., cemented by shared security goals and mutual respect, proves that loyalty to democratic values can outweigh China’s checkbook diplomacy.
A Call to Action
El Salvador’s transformation offers a blueprint for the Americas: prioritize security, reject foreign interference, and act with resolve. The U.S. must deepen its commitment to allies like El Salvador, not just with words but with resources—more patrol boats, more joint exercises, more intelligence sharing. The stakes are too high for half-measures. Drug cartels, gang violence, and China’s encroachment threaten the stability of our hemisphere. El Salvador has shown what’s possible when a nation refuses to bow.
This isn’t about ignoring human rights or dismissing legitimate concerns. It’s about recognizing that security is the foundation of freedom. El Salvador’s people, once terrorized, now walk their streets with confidence. America, grappling with its own crime and border challenges, could learn a thing or two. The time for bold action is now, and El Salvador is leading the way.