I'd also like to point out how incredibly safe I've felt in El Salvador so far: in El Zonte, in San Salvador, in El Tunco, in La Libertad, and in the mountains in Chiltiupian where I stayed and have been travelling around with a motorcycle. The usual caveats of privilege or naivete apply, but I've felt far more safe than in the US or many other countries. At Bitcoin Beach in El Zonte, which granted is an unusual area, it seems reasonable to leave the door unlocked where you are staying (say, in a shared house) and there are more local-style places some people stay at that don't have a door or any walls. One even hears about a bitcoiner who basically slept for a good while, for free, outside in a hammock near a volcano :). I haven't seen any petty crime yet, while being a fair number of times in a situation where one could take advantage of me, yet I've only experienced friendliness and kindness so far. I know a few young women who have been traveling solo all around the country without issues or being hassled. Maybe this is only a honeymoon phase, but it's impressive.

From what I've heard, this safety may have been a recent result of the mass arrests of the gangs -- I write this naively, as it's hearsay from locals. Most Salvadorians I've talked to are in favor and very happy with the change, though not all, as some of the people arrested were apparently innocent (locals speak of 10% arrested being innocent, some may have only been guilty of having a tattoo or being in the wrong place or with the wrong people at the wrong time, etc.), which may not be surprising given the way the arrests may have happened. Again, it's only what I hear from local people -- I don't know firsthand.

In the city (San Salvador), one sees private security men with guns protecting the businesses, and locals say they were necessary, at least until recently. I haven't noticed security like this in, say, El Zonte.

In any case, all the places I saw so far this past month, on foot or by motorcycle, seemed safe or very safe.