Is there another explanation for the catastrophic rise, other than the presidents policy?
Elizabeth Kennedy, a doctoral student at San Diego State University and Fulbright scholar who has been living in Central America since October interviewing migrant children, says absolutely: An increase in violence.
At the same time the violence has gone up, the willingness of the state to protect its citizens has gone down, Kennedy said. So, what you have is people who are more or less for themselves, and if you find yourself in a position where you are targeted by crime you do not have anyone to turn to.
Kennedy currently resides in El Salvador, one of three countries, along with Honduras and Guatemala, that have witnessed a massive uptick in unaccompanied children trying to cross the border.
She says kidnapping, rape, extortion and disappearances are all on the rise, with climbing murder rates also contributing to mass migration.
For the month of May, 401 people were murdered in El Salvador, Kennedy observed. And 379 in June. Thats an average of 12-and-a-half murders per day. You know, theres nowhere else in the world besides a handful of countries, like Syria, South Sudan and Honduras that have higher homicide rates.
The reality is that the U.S. shares these concerns.
The White House has issued travel warnings for both
El Salvador and
Honduras.
In its caution to U.S. citizens traveling to El Salvador, the government notes, crime and violence levels in El Salvador remain critically high.
Violence in the region has clearly played a role.