Costa Rica Gang Crackdown—El Salvador’s Way?

PRAY WITH US about Costa Rica gang crackdown, that God will:

Move Costa Rica officials to seek His kingdom first. And to understand how they fell from a nation of peace to one plagued by gang wars. Then to see the El Salvador model from God’s perspective.
Communicate El Salvador President Bukele’s testimony of how he sought God first. And then received direction to run for president and confront the gang wars. But to release strategies for making peace as well as for making war.

Help Costa Rica agree on strategies for both war on gangs and peace that will succeed God’s way. And to receive prison ministries which will produce testimonies that will reach other prisoners. Then to communicate to wannabe gang members Christ’s higher ways to live and thrive.

PRAYER ALERT: Costa Rica Gang Crackdown—El Salvador’s Way?

The US is not the only nation that struggles to keep criminals behind bars in the Western Hemisphere. Now Costa Rica, known till recently as a peaceful nation, has historically high homicide stats. In 2023, it set a new record with 907 homicides. And the next year that number went down only 3% to 880. Yet the justice system keeps freeing those arrested back into the streets.

Its shift from an ecotourism attraction to a cocaine way-station has Costa Rica looking for answers. And only 200 miles northwest, El Salvador has found stunning and successful solutions. So Costa Rica sees El Salvador as one model for cracking down on and imprisoning gang members. It shows “what precisely can be done to rescue thousands of Costa Ricans…and imprisoning hundreds.”

In that way El Salvador Security Minister Gustavo Villatoro described his country’s anti-gang strategy. Yet human rights activists object to its inhumane treatment of prisoners. Pictures of them bowed down and packed into confined spaces have provoked protests and lawsuits. But also sighs of relief from the people they once terrorized. For 91% of Salvadoreans approve of President Nayib Bukele’s performance during his 3-year crackdown. Most likely that makes him the most popular politician in the world…

How much longer must the crackdown and severe treatment of criminals last? Let’s pray citizens will get so accustomed to peace in their streets, that temptations to violence will fade. Then El Salvador will give nations not only an example of crime-fighting but of peacemaking.

Read more in ETG article Costa Rica Gang Crackdown—El Salvador’s Way?

Photo: President Donald Trump hosts a bilateral meeting with President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador, Monday, April 14, 2025, in the Oval Office. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)