El Salvador Travel Advisory — Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions

Exercise normal precaution in El Salvador.

Exercise normal precaution

in El Salvador.

U.S. government employees working in El Salvador are allowed to travel throughout the country during daylight hours. However, due to road conditions, hilly terrain, possible landslides during the rainy season, and general lack of streetlights, U.S. government employees are prohibited from traveling between cities or departments (the Salvadoran equivalent of states) at night. Gang activity has decreased dramatically since 2022, causing a drop in violent crime and murders.

There are exceptions. U.S. government employees are allowed to travel at all hours between San Salvador and:

El Salvador’s international airport
La Libertad department

U.S. government employees are prohibited from using public buses.

Review our travel guidance for El Salvador to learn how to prepare for a safe trip.

State of Exception

In March 2022, the Government of El Salvador declared a “State of Exception” in response to an increase in gang murders:

The State of Exception allows local authorities to arrest anyone they think is involved in gang activity.
It suspends several constitutional rights. This includes the normal protections of criminal procedure, such as the right to a speedy trial and access to counsel.
Tens of thousands of people are currently in prison under the State of Exception, all awaiting trial.

Several U.S. citizens have been detained under the State of Exception. They have yet to face trial. The State of Exception is still in place.

This is a summary of public U.S. government information, refreshed daily. Conditions can change rapidly — always confirm the current advisory at travel.state.gov and review your destination's U.S. Embassy guidance before traveling. 50PlusHub is not affiliated with the U.S. government.