Gustavo Villatoro

{{short description|Minister of Justice and Public Security of El Salvador since 2021}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Gustavo Villatoro

| image = Gustavo Villatoro, Minister of Justice and Public Security, in 2025.jpg

| image_size =

| alt = Gustavo Villatoro wearing a business suit and smiling facing the viewer

| caption = Villatoro in 2025

| office = 8th Minister of Justice and Public Security of El{{nbsp}}Salvador

| term_start = 26 March 2021

| term_end =

| president = Nayib Bukele
Claudia Rodríguez (acting)

| predecessor = Rogelio Rivas

| successor =

| birth_name = Héctor Gustavo Villatoro Funes

| birth_date =

| birth_place = El Salvador

| death_date =

| death_place =

| death_cause =

| party =

| spouse =

| children =

| alma_mater = José Matías Delgado University

| occupation = Politician, lawyer

}}

Héctor Gustavo Villatoro Funes is a Salvadoran politician and lawyer who has served as Minister of Justice and Public Security of El Salvador since 2021. During Villatoro's term, he has overseen the Salvadoran gang crackdown that has led to the arrests of over 85,000 alleged gang members {{As of|2025|March|4|lc=y}}.{{cite web|url=https://www.laprensagrafica.com/elsalvador/Extienden-por-30-dias-mas-el-regimen-de-excepcion-en-El-Salvador-que-pronto-cumplira-3-anos-20250304-0066.html|title=Extienden por 30 Días Más el Régimen de Excepción en El Salvador, que Pronto Cumplirá 3 Años|trans-title=They Extend the State of Exception in El Salvador, Which Will Soon Complete 3 Years, for 30 More Days|language=es|date=4 March 2025|access-date=5 April 2025|work=La Prensa Gráfica}}

Early life

Héctor Gustavo Villatoro Funes graduated from the José Matías Delgado University.{{cite web|url=https://www.transparencia.gob.sv/institutions/mjsp/officials/15773.pdf|title=Lic. Héctor Gustavo Villatoro Funes (Vigente)|trans-title=Lic. Héctor Gustavo Villatoro Funes (Current)|language=es|date=17 May 2022|access-date=10 December 2023|work=Government of El Salvador|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240329032558/https://www.transparencia.gob.sv/institutions/mjsp/officials/15773.pdf|archive-date=29 March 2024|url-status=dead}}

Early career

From 2004 to 2009, Villatoro served as the general director of customs under President Antonio Saca.{{cite web|url=https://insightcrime.org/news/el-salvador-security-minister-dubious-past/|title=In El Salvador, a New Security Minister With a Dubious Past|language=en|date=2 April 2021|access-date=22 October 2023|work=InSight Crime|first1=Alex|last1=Papadovassilakis}}{{cite web|url=https://diario.elmundo.sv/Pol%C3%ADtica/cambios-en-el-gabinete-de-bukele-zelaya-y-villatoro-asumen-luego-de-renuncia|title=Cambios en el Gabinete de Bukele: Zelaya y Villatoro Asumen Luego de Renuncia|trans-title=Changes in Bukele's Cabinet: Zelaya and Villatoro Promoted After a Resignation|language=es|date=29 July 2020|access-date=5 April 2025|work=El Mundo|first1=Yolanda|last1=Magaña}} Villatoro also served as the chief prosecutor of the Organized Crime Unit. The El Faro digital newspaper has alleged that Villatoro was a political operator for Saca during his term as general director of customs from 2004 to 2009. Similarly, Revista Factum and the IBI Consultants think thank have alleged that Villatoro a political operator for Saca's brother Herbert from 2009 to 2014, paying out bribes to deputies of the Legislative Assembly in exchange for votes. Villatoro has denied these allegations.

In 2019, President Nayib Bukele appointed Villatoro as the general director of customs. In late July 2020, Bukele appointed Villatoro as the head of the Financial System Superintendence (SSF) after Nelson Fuentes resigned as Minister of Finance. That year, Villatoro was a candidate to become the country's attorney general. He promised to reduce homicides and extortion, but Raúl Melara ultimately became the attorney general.{{cite web|url=https://gatoencerrado.news/2021/03/27/bukele-promueve-a-exfuncionario-de-gestion-saca-como-ministro-de-seguridad/|title=Bukele Promueve a Exfuncionario de Gestión Saca como Ministro de Seguridad|trans-title=Bukele Promotes a Former Official During Saca's Term as Minister of Security|language=es|date=27 March 2021|access-date=10 December 2023|work=Garo Encerrado|first1=Karen|last1=Moreno}} In December 2020, Villatoro ordered the country's banks to not sever ties with alleged financial criminals that were "founded in a decision of presumed culpability", an order that, according to lawyers, violated the Law Against Money Laundering and Other Assets.{{cite web|url=https://insightcrime.org/news/brief/money-launderers-bank-accounts-el-salvador/|title=El Salvador Protects Accounts of Suspected Money Launderers|language=en|date=13 January 2021|access-date=10 December 2023|work=InSight Crime|first1=Shane|last1=Sullivan}}

Minister of Justice and Public Security

File:Rodolfo Delgado, Gustavo Villatoro, and René Merino Monroy.jpg

On 26 March 2021, Bukele appointed Villatoro as the country's Minister of Justice and Public Security, succeeding Rogelio Rivas. Villatoro's objective upon being appointed was "strengthening the investigative process for homicides and disappearances to reduce impunity rates". Bukele gave no reason why he replaced Rivas with Villatoro.

= Salvadoran gang crackdown =

On 27 March 2022, the Legislative Assembly declared a 30-day state of emergency after a spike in homicides the preceding weekend resulting in a nationwide gang crackdown.{{cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/3/28/el-salvador-invokes-state-of-emergency-after-62-killings-in-a-day|title=El Salvador Declares State of Emergency After Gang Killings|work=Al Jazeera English|date=28 March 2022|access-date=10 December 2023}} In June 2022, after almost 42,000 people had been arrested during the gang crackdown, Villatoro stated that the government aimed to arrest up to 80,000 gang members.{{cite web|url=https://www.elsalvador.com/noticias/nacional/regimen-de-excepcion-ministro-gustavo-villatoro/968181/2022/|title=Ministro de Seguridad Quiere Encarcelar a 80,000 Pandilleros|trans-title=Minister of Security Wants to Imprison 80,000 Gang Members|language=es|date=17 June 2022|access-date=10 December 2023|work=El Diario de Hoy|first1=Mario|last1=González}} Villatoro himself has presented proposals to extend the crackdown on multiple occasions.{{cite web|url=https://www.elsalvador.com/noticias/nacional/prorroga-regimen-de-excepcion-segurida-defensa-pnc/969420/2022/|title=Asamblea Extiende por Tercera Vez el Régimen de Excepción en El Salvador|trans-title=The Assembly Extends the State of Exception for a Third Time in El Salvador|language=es|date=21 June 2022|access-date=10 December 2023|work=El Diario de Hoy|first1=Eugenia|last1=Velázquez}}{{cite web|url=https://www.elsalvador.com/noticias/nacional/asamblea-gustavo-villatoro-estado-de-excepcion-regimen-vamos-claudia-ortiz-/988897/2022/|title=Ministro de Seguridad Llama "Pseudo Salvadoreños" a Quienes Critican Violaciones en Régimen de Excepción|trans-title=Minister of Security Calls Those Who Criticize Violations in the State of Exception "Pseudo-Salvadorans"|language=es|date=21 August 2022|access-date=10 December 2023|work=El Diario de Hoy|first1=Eugenia|last1=Velázquez}} In January 2024, after the Salvadoran government announced that it had recorded 153 homicides in 2023 for a rate of 2.4 homicides per 100,000 people, Villatoro praised the gang crackdown, stating that it was a "courageous decision to confront the criminal structures" and claimed that El Salvador was the second safest country in the Americas after Canada.{{cite web|url=https://www.barrons.com/news/el-salvador-claims-lowest-murder-rate-in-decades-amid-gang-crackdown-8472cb28|title=El Salvador Claims Lowest Murder Rate In Decades Amid Gang Crackdown|language=es|date=3 January 2024|access-date=6 January 2024|work=Barron's}} Regarding criticism from human rights groups, Villatoro has remarked that "we have told them to go to hell".{{cite web|url=https://ticotimes.net/2025/04/05/costa-rica-eyes-el-salvadors-mega-prison-model-as-violence-escalates|title=Costa Rica Eyes El Salvador's Mega-Prison Model as Violence Escalates|language=en|date=5 April 2025|access-date=5 April 2025|work=The Tico Times}}

= Meetings with foreign delegates =

File:DHS Secretary Kristi Noem Travels to El Salvador (54413754900).jpg in 2025]]

On 9 December 2023, Villatoro met with Argentine minister of national security Patricia Bullrich in Buenos Aires.{{cite web|url=https://www.elciudadanoweb.com/bullrich-se-reunio-con-el-ministro-de-seguridad-de-bukele/|title=Bullrich se Reunió con el Ministro de Seguridad de Bukele|trans-title=Bullrich Met With Bukele's Minister of Security|language=es|date=10 December 2023|access-date=10 December 2023|work=El Ciudadano Web}} The following day, Villatoro attended the inauguration of Javier Milei in place of Bukele.{{cite web|url=https://diario.elmundo.sv/politica/el-ministro-gustavo-villatoro-represento-a-el-salvador-en-la-toma-de-posesion-de-milei|title=El Ministro Gustavo Villatoro Representó a El Salvador en la Toma de Posesión de Milei|trans-title=Minister Gustavo Villatoro Represented El Salvador at Milei's Inauguration|language=es|date=10 December 2023|access-date=11 December 2023|work=El Mundo|first1=Leonardo|last1=Cerón}} On 16 June 2024, Villatoro received Bullrich in El Salvador and gave her a tour of the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) maximum security prison.{{cite web|url=https://www.batimes.com.ar/news/argentina/bullrich-visits-el-salvador-to-learn-about-bukele-method-against-crime.phtml|title=Bullrich Visits El Salvador to Study Bukele's Approach to Crime, Security|language=en|date=17 June 2024|access-date=5 April 2025|work=Buenos Aires Times}}

Villatoro met United States secretary of homeland security Kristi Noem in March 2025. Villatoro gave Noem a tour of CECOT{{cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/noem-homeland-security-immigration-prison-el-salvador-188d999b6625ea05e85a86f0ec4e670a|title=Homeland Security Secretary Noem Visits the El Salvador Prison Where Deported Venezuelans Are Held|language=en|date=26 March 2025|access-date=5 April 2025|work=Associated Press|first1=Rebecca|last1=Santana|first2=Alex|last2=Brandon|first3=Marcos|last3=Alemán|location=Tecoluca and Washington, D.C.}} and signed the Security Alliance for Fugitive Enforcement Memorandum of Cooperation with the United States.{{cite web|url=https://www.c-span.org/program/public-affairs-event/secretary-noem-signs-fugitive-enforcement-memorandum-with-el-salvador/657753|title=Secretary Noem Signs Fugitive Enforcement Memorandum With El Salvador|language=en|date=26 March 2025|access-date=5 April 2025|work=C-SPAN}} The following month, Villatoro gave a similar tour of CECOT to Costa Rican minister of justice and peace Gerald Campos Valverde.

= Criticism of journalists =

During his tenure as Minister of Justice and Public Security, Villatoro has been critical of journalists. In September 2021, Villatoro stated that the Salvadoran government was "following" ("{{lang|es|dando seguimiento}}") various journalists.{{cite web|url=https://elcomercio.pe/mundo/latinoamerica/el-salvador-quien-es-gustavo-villatoro-el-ministro-de-nayib-bukele-que-admitio-que-el-gobierno-hace-seguimiento-a-periodistas-noticia/|title=¿Quién es Gustavo Villatoro, el Ministro de Bukele que Admitió que el Gobierno hace "Seguimiento" a Periodistas?|trans-title=Who is Gustavo Villatoro, Bukele's Minister Who Admitted that he Government is "Following" Journalists?|language=es|date=6 September 2021|access-date=10 December 2023|work=El Comercio}} In May 2022, Villatoro claimed that the {{lang|es|La Prensa Gráfica}} and {{lang|es|El Diario de Hoy}} newspapers were "[protecting] the interests of criminal structures" ("{{lang|es|proteger intereses de las estructuras criminales}}") instead of publishing genuine news reporting. Villatoro further claimed that both newspaper were "on the side of the terrorists and their allies in the [political] opposition" ("{{lang|es|del lado de los terroristas y sus aliados de la oposición}}". Human rights lawyer José Miguel Vivanco criticized Villatoro's remarks, stating that they were a "direct threat" ("{{lang|es|amenaza directa}}") by Villatoro against two of El Salvador's major newspapers.{{cite web|url=https://www.elsalvador.com/noticias/nacional/ministro-seguridad-villatoro-arremete-medios/955567/2022/|title=Ministro de Seguridad y Justicia Arremete contra Medios Escritos|trans-title=Minister of Security and Justice Attacks Written Media|language=es|date=12 May 2022|access-date=10 December 2023|work=El Diario de Hoy}} Human Rights Watch similarly condemned Villatoro's remarks.{{cite web|url=https://www.elsalvador.com/noticias/nacional/gustavo-villatoro-ataque-medios-human-rights-watch/956227/2022/|title=Human Rights Watch Repudia Ataque del Ministro de Seguridad a Medios|trans-title=Human Rights Watch Repudiates Attacks Against the Media by the Minister of Security|language=es|date=14 May 2022|access-date=10 December 2023|work=El Diario de Hoy|first1=Ricardo|last1=Avelar}} Villatoro has referred to Salvadoran journalists and politicians who opposed the country's gang crackdown as "Pseudo-Salvadorans" ("{{lang|es|Pseudo Salvadoreños}}").

Personal life

Villatoro is a Catholic. Villatoro's father, Héctor Antonio Villatoro Benítez, is a magistrate of the First Penal Court of San Miguel.{{cite web|url=https://historico.elsalvador.com/historico/883830/padre-ministro-seguridad-magistrado-camara-san-miguel.html|title=Padre de Ministro de Seguridad Seguirá como Magistrado de Cámara en San Miguel|trans-title=Father of the Ministry of Security Will Continue to Serve as a Magistrate of the San Miguel Court|language=es|date=28 September 2021|access-date=5 April 2025|work=El Diario de Hoy|first1=Jorge|last1=Beltrán Luna}}{{cite web|url=https://www.plazapublica.com.gt/content/jueces-la-medida-la-farsa-de-la-depuracion-de-bukele|title=Jueces a la Medida: :a Farsa de la Depuración de Bukele|trans-title=Custom-Made Judges: The Farce of Bukele's Purge|language=es|date=12 July 2023|access-date=5 April 2025|work=Plaza Pública}}

On 23 August 2022, Villatoro received a formal recognition from the country's Attorney for the Defense of Human Rights for his security policies.{{cite web|url=https://www.elsalvador.com/noticias/nacional/asamblea-pddh-derechos-humanos-procurador-para-la-defensa-de-los-apolonio-tobar-gustavo-villatoro-ministro-seguridad-publica-regimen-excepcion-150-dias-/990401/2022/|title=Procurador de Derechos Humanos Entrega Reconocimiento a Ministro de Seguridad|trans-title=Human Rights Attorney Gives Recognition to the Minister of Security|language=es|date=23 August 2022|access-date=10 December 2023|work=El Diario de Hoy|first1=Eugenia|last1=Velásquez}}