El Salvador declares emergency over spike in homicides

San Salvador, March 28 El Salvador has declared a state of emergency for 30 days after 62 homicides were registered on March 26, the highest number reported in a single day.

The state of emergency suspends certain constitutional rights such as the freedom of association, the inviolability of mail and telecommunications, while religious services, sporting events, businesses and educational programmes continue to operate normally, Xinhua news agency quoted President Nayib Bukele as saying on social media on Sunday.

Bukele had called an emergency session of the Legislative Assembly earlier in the day to approve his request to establish the state of emergency.

Of the 84 deputies that make up the Legislative Assembly, 67 from five political parties, including "strong opponents", voted in favour, the President said.

He also added thatthe measures "will only be implemented by pertinent institutions only when it will be necessary".

"Life will go on as normal for the utter majority of people."

According to Statista, there were a total of 1,114 homicides in the Central American nation last year.

The year 2020 witnessed the largest decrease, almost 45 per cent in comparison to the 2,398 homicides committed in 2019.

In 2016, more than 5,000 people were murdered.

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