1、CRS INSIGHT Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress INSIGHTINSIGHTi i Central Americas Northern Triangle: Challenges for U.S. Policymakers in 2021 Updated May 13, 2021 El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, located in the Northern Triangle region of Central America (see Figure 1), have long s
2、truggled with high levels of poverty and inequality, widespread insecurity, and fragile democratic institutions. Already-difficult living conditions have worsened over the past year due to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and two hurricanes. The International Monetary Fund estimates
3、the Salvadoran economy contracted by nearly 8.6% in 2020 and the Honduran and Guatemalan economies contracted by 8.0% and 1.5%, respectively. Nearly 1 million Salvadorans, 3.1 million Hondurans, and 3.7 million Guatemalans are contending with crisis or emergency levels of food insecurity. Although t
4、he pandemic and government lockdowns initially disrupted criminal activities, reports suggest domestic violence increased and gangs and illicit trafficking groups quickly adapted to the changed circumstances. Amid these challenges, the Northern Triangle governments have sought to undermine anti-corr
