Crime in El Salvador

The Policía Nacional Civil (PNC) is El Salvador’s national police service. The Ministerio de Seguridad Pública y Justicia, the Fiscalía General de la República (FGR) and other public bodies handle prevention, emergency response, investigation, reporting and victim support. The official figures are government-reported and are not an independent estimate of all crime. Lower homicide figures do not eliminate everyday risks such as theft, scams, sexual violence, extortion, kidnapping or vehicle crime. For an emergency requiring an immediate police response, call the PNC Unidad de Emergencia at 911. The number is free and operates 24 hours a day, every day. Sistema 123 is a separate PNC intelligence channel that accepts anonymous reports about suspected criminal or gang activity, operates 24 hours a day and gives the caller a reference code. It is an intelligence channel and does not replace a formal complaint by a victim. A formal complaint can be filed at a PNC Oficina de Atención Ciudadana (ODAC) at a police delegation or any police post. The FGR also accepts complaints or notices at any Oficina Fiscal, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The FGR can direct the investigation with the PNC, provide legal guidance and victim accompaniment, and issue or arrange forensic referrals. Its service catalogue identifies these services as free. A Salvadoran Documento Único de Identidad (DUI), passport or other identification is normally requested. Under FGR policy, an identification document is not required in certain urgent cases involving offences against life, attempted offences, sexual offences, gender-based violence, domestic violence or a child victim. An office may receive a complaint outside its territorial or specialist competence and transfer it to the responsible office. Vehicle theft requires immediate action. Call 911, 122 or 2511-1000 so that a Denuncia Previa can activate a national alert and patrol search, then attend the nearest ODAC immediately to file the Denuncia Formal. Give the vehicle plate number and include stolen identity documents or vehicle papers in the same complaint. If the vehicle is recovered, do not touch it; call 911, 2511-1000 or 2511-1380 and wait for instructions. The Unidad Técnica Ejecutiva del Sector de Justicia (UTE) administers the Programa de Protección de Víctimas y Testigos. A victim, witness, related person or another person endangered because of participation in an investigation or trial can request protection through the FGR or UTE. UTE evaluates the risk and selects ordinary, extraordinary or urgent measures. The PNC División de Protección a Víctimas y Testigos may implement those measures, which are confidential. The Área de Protección a Víctimas y Testigos can be reached at 2204-8700 or areadeproteccion@ute.gob.sv; UTE’s main switchboard is 2204-7600. The reviewed information identifies no fixed protection fee, fixed payment or universal compensation amount. For a child or adolescent facing a direct or indirect threat or another rights violation, CONAPINA Línea de Atención y Ayuda 119 is free, confidential and available 24 hours a day. Reports can also be made through a departmental Junta de Protección, CONAPINA offices or its social-media channels. Useful information includes the reporter’s name and contact details, the child’s name if known, adults involved, the exact location or landmarks and the nature of the risk. El Salvador has 16 Juntas de Protección, which can order administrative protection measures and arrange psychological or legal assistance or shelter when the risk warrants it. A missing person under 18 can be reported immediately at any FGR office, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, or anonymously and confidentially through Alerta Ángel Desaparecido at 11-61-11. The FGR decides whether to activate the alert and which form it takes. A high alert lasts 48 hours and can continue when necessary. The immediate alert is intended for a disappearance reported within hours, not a long-pending case, and it does not activate automatically when an adolescent has voluntarily left home. Provide the name or alias, age, sex, identifying features, disability or illness, clothing, last-known place and time, suspected people or vehicles, a recent photograph and relevant contacts. POLITUR is the PNC division specializing in tourist security and has 23 stations. Assistance or an escort can be requested through a Centro de Atención Turística or POLITUR at 2225-2705 or 2511-8302. Reputable tour and taxi providers reduce exposure to unofficial services. Avoid isolated trails and unnecessary night travel, keep valuables out of sight, use ATMs inside banks, hotels or malls during daylight, and lock vehicle doors and windows. If a robbery occurs, do not resist. Obtain a police report if an insurer requires it. For online fraud or an unauthorized transaction, report promptly through 911, the PNC or the FGR, and preserve transaction records, messages, device data and other evidence. No distinct public cybercrime complaint portal is identified in the reviewed official sources. SalCERT appears in the state cybersecurity framework, but a public victim intake channel was not evidenced. The nationwide Régimen de Excepción was active through 27 September 2026 under its 54th extension, following recurring 30-day extensions since 27 March 2022. Official advisories describe broader arrest powers and suspended or limited ordinary procedural safeguards, including speedy-trial and access-to-counsel protections. Detention and arbitrary-enforcement risks remain relevant despite the lower homicide level. Official travel advice also reports detention or deportation risk and advises avoiding demonstrations and political activity.