30th Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum – Support of the Armed Forces in Public Security and its Impact on National Security

Honorable Minister René Merino outlined El Salvador’s security transformation under President Bukele, focusing on the Territorial Control Plan (TCP) and the State of Exception. He explained that deploying the Armed Forces alongside the National Civil Police was constitutionally justified and enabled decisive action that previous administrations avoided due to political constraints. He emphasized that strong leadership, rather than institutional capacity alone, was critical to preventing criminal groups from gaining political influence.

The Minister described the multi-phase TCP, including reclaiming gang-controlled territories, youth prevention efforts, modernization of security forces, targeted incursions, and a nationwide offensive to counter escalating violence. He stressed the importance of avoiding predictable tactics and maintaining a sustained security presence. Central to the strategy was close coordination and intelligence sharing among the Armed Forces, PNC, Ministry of Security,

and Attorney General, which enabled large-scale daily arrests and built trust between police and military forces.

He stated that the State of Exception was applied selectively to dismantle gang structures while minimizing impact on the general population and respecting constitutional roles. According to the Minister, these measures led to a dramatic reduction in homicides, positioning El Salvador among the safest countries in the Western Hemisphere, with projections of fewer than 100 annual homicides. He concluded that beyond improved security, the strategy boosted drug seizures, expanded high-security detention capacity, increased tourism, and supported long-term national development aligned with President Bukele’s vision.