Latest news in El Salvador? September 27th, 2026

Key developments in El Salvador around late September 2026:

• Diplomatic Engagements at the UN General Assembly: Foreign Minister Alexandra Hill Tinoco met with Kuwait’s Foreign Minister, Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. The two nations signed a visa-waiver agreement for diplomatic and official passports and advanced cooperation under El Salvador’s inaugural development loan agreement with the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED).

  Times Kuwait

• Surge in International Tourism: The UN Tourism World Tourism Barometer reported a 37% increase in international tourist arrivals to El Salvador during the first half of 2026 compared to the same period the previous year. The administration continues to highlight improvements in public safety as the primary driver of incoming foreign travel and investment.

  Times Kuwait+ 1

• Security Regime and International Scrutiny: Over 93,000 detentions have been recorded under the ongoing state of exception. While the Bukele administration maintains broad public support domestically for sustained low violent-crime rates, international legal and human rights bodies at the UN Human Rights Council continue to raise concerns regarding mass trials, arrest quotas, and due process guarantees.

  CES Intelligence+ 1

• U.S. Temporary Protected Status (TPS) Updates: The legal status and work permit protections for tens of thousands of Salvadorans in the United States under TPS remain a central focus following recent U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) extensions and legal challenges regarding the program’s expiration timeline.