Hello, everyone. We hope everyone is well. Elizabeth and I have been sick with the flu, and it is tough to get rid of it. We are better now.

We have not traveled much this year but hope to visit some of the country soon.

I have been researching the history of Cara Sucia and found it very interesting, so I am writing a post about it. This is a brief history of Cara Sucia.

Cara Sucia is a significant archaeological site located on the Pacific coastal plain of western El Salvador. Here’s a brief overview of its history:

Early Settlement

• Middle Preclassic Period (900 BC—400 BC): Cara Sucia was first settled around 900 BC and was closely affiliated with other early Maya sites in western El Salvador.

Abandonment and Resettlement

• 540 AD: The eruption of Ilopango led to the site’s abandonment.
• 600 AD: A few decades later, the site was resettled, marking a complete break from its Maya past and identifying it as a Cotzumalhuapa settlement.

Cotzumalhuapa Influence

• Late Classic Period (600 AD—900 AD): During this period, the site’s main structures were built, including an acropolis, two enclosed ballcourts, and a 14-meter-high pyramid. The site’s material culture included pottery, mold-made figurines, and evidence of textile manufacture.

Postclassic Period

• 900 AD—1500 AD: Cara Sucia prospered during the Postclassic period, likely due to its involvement in trading cacao and obsidian. The site featured a U-shaped ball court, Balsam Coast-style sculpture, and ceramics.

Modern Times

• Present Day: Cara Sucia remains an important archaeological site, offering valuable insights into the region’s history and culture. Today, It is a growing small town with many farms in the surrounding villages. It is a site of national pride and continues to attract researchers and tourists alike.

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On January 5th, El Salvador experienced an earthquake. Different news agencies reported the magnitude to be 6.1 to 6.4. I live in Cara Sucia, close to the Guatemalan border, and I felt the strong shimmer in my home. The government has reported that there were no human losses or material damage. Authorities ruled that there was no tsunami threat to El Salvador.
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 33 kilometers off the coast of La Paz, 29 kilometers southwest of Costa del Sol Beach.
A seismologist explained that the tremor resulted from the subduction process, in which the Cocos plate submerged into the Caribbean plate.

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According to news sources in an interview, Minister of Tourism Morena Valdez stated that El Salvador welcomed 3,956,790 international visitors between January and December 2024.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the country’s international tourism sector has steadily recovered. In 2024, visitor numbers exceeded 3.9 million, marking the second consecutive year surpassing the 2019 pre-pandemic level of over 2.6 million. This follows a significant rebound from 1.4 million visitors in 2021 to over 2.5 million in 2022 and over 3.3 million in 2023.

The Historic Center of San Salvador is the number one attraction, with the National Library of El Salvador (Binaes) as the main attraction. It is followed by the Puerto de La Libertad Tourist Complex, Sunset Park, Cerro Verde Natural Park, and Balboa Natural Park.

Local tourism also thrived, with 1.7 million Salvadorans visiting national parks and beaches by January 1st. The Historic Center of San Salvador remained the most popular destination, attracting over 745,000 visitors, with the National Library of El Salvador (Binaes) as a significant draw. Other top attractions included the Puerto de La Libertad Tourist Complex, Sunset Park, Cerro Verde Natural Park, and Balboa Natural Park.

Tourist arrivals in El Salvador are primarily driven by visitors from Guatemala and the United States, representing 34% of the total. Hondurans constitute 18%, while the remaining 14% comprise travelers from various countries in the Americas.

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Elizabeth and I were very sick over the Christmas holidays. Elizabeth recovered much faster than I did. I finally started feeling better on New Year’s Eve, so we had a very nice dinner on New Year’s Day.
We hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and are looking forward to the New Year. We wish everyone much happiness and prosperity in 2025.
I have added some pictures from our New Year’s Day.

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We have put together a slide show from our New Year’s Day.

We are closing out another year, another chapter in our lives. Elizabeth and I thank everyone who has followed and read our blog posts over the past year. We enjoy writing about our lives and the lives we have here in El Salvador. We have to make a decision by January 4th on whether to renew our blog site. It takes a lot of time and expense to have this site. We must renew our web hosting provider and domain name yearly for $300. When we visit restaurants and tourist sites, this is at our expense. I am in no way complaining about this. However, we have yet to receive the following that we had thought we would over the last year. What helps is when people subscribe and comment on our posts. This encourages us and lets us know your likes and dislikes so we can improve our posts.

We would like to get your feedback on our post in the next couple of weeks, and you can let us know if you would like us to continue with our site, https//ourlifeinelsalvador.com. If you find our content helpful and informative and would like us to continue for another year, please subscribe and leave a comment.
We have put together a slide show from over the past year. See Below.

Our daughter Marisol returned with two sons, Daniel and Jacob, for a week’s visit. They arrived on Tuesday, 22 October, and we went to the beach near our home for the day on Wednesday. It was a very enjoyable day. We spent the day swimming, playing, and enjoying good food.
I have added a slide show of the day below.

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El Salvador ranks eighth in Gallup’s global security report

The nation ranks eighth in Gallup’s global security report. According to the organization, a sense of security is crucial for human development, which is why the United Nations incorporates this measure as an indicator in the Sustainable Development Goals.

Due to President Nayib Bukele’s security strategies, El Salvador has, for the first time in history, been ranked among the top 10 countries in Gallup’s 2024 Global Security Report, which includes the Law and Order Index Scores for 2023.

El Salvador’s improved security ranking can be attributed to several factors. According to Gallup’s 2024 Global Security Report, the country is now ranked 8th globally, with 88% of the population feeling safe walking alone at night. This results from comprehensive security measures and effective law enforcement strategies implemented by the government.

In response, President Bukele posted on X: “Gallup: El Salvador ranks among the ‘safest’ countries (in the world) for the first time.” He added: “We have just become the safest country in the Western Hemisphere, and now we aspire to achieve it worldwide.”

According to the polling company, sustainable growth begins with ensuring that people feel safe. The Global Security Report examines this by analyzing “who feels more and less safe around the world, based on parameters such as the security they feel when walking alone at night and their confidence in the local police.”

After declaring war on gangs, which were responsible for 75% of violent crimes, El Salvador transformed from one of the most dangerous countries in the world in 2015 to one of the countries with the lowest homicide rates (2.4 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023). This transformation has made El Salvador a model for neighboring nations and the continent.

Gallup reports that El Salvador has surpassed countries like Bahrain, Iceland, Kosovo, Luxembourg, and Switzerland, where 87% of people feel safe walking alone at night.

The top ten countries with the highest percentages of people feeling safe walking alone at night are Kuwait (99%), Singapore (94%), Norway (92%), Saudi Arabia (92%), Tajikistan (92%), Slovenia (91%), the United Arab Emirates (90%), El Salvador (88%), Montenegro (87%), and Bahrain (87%).

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We’ve experienced a significant increase in seismic activity this year, with more frequent and intense earthquakes than in previous years. Last night’s tremor was just the latest in a series of unsettling events.

Last night, a strong earthquake with a magnitude of 5.5 was recorded, alerting Salvadorans. According to revised data from the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN), the earthquake occurred at 8:25 PM this Saturday, off the coast of La Libertad, 45.0 km south of Playa El Sunzal, at a depth of 49 km. MARN has ruled out any tsunami threat to El Salvador.

These tremors have been particularly concentrated along the coasts of Sonsonate, following a 5.7 magnitude earthquake that struck at a depth of 41 kilometers. This earthquake, which occurred at 10:58 PM on September 14, 2024, was centered 57.0 km southwest of Los Cóbanos Beach.

Between 3:21 PM on September 13 and 10:00 AM on September 20, 2024, the National Seismic Network of El Salvador registered 74 earthquakes, 24 of which were felt by the population. The magnitudes of these earthquakes ranged from 2.7 to 5.7 on the Richter scale.

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On September 15, during the 203rd anniversary of El Salvador’s independence, President Nayib Bukele reaffirmed his commitment to the country’s foundation and reinvention. Political analysts and sociologists Mauricio Rodríguez and René Martínez concurred with this sentiment.
René Martínez, a sociologist, described President Bukele’s speech as a masterclass in simplicity and relatability. It was not just a speech but a call to action aimed at inspiring the populace to participate actively in the nation’s transformation. Mauricio Rodríguez, a political analyst, emphasized that the message highlighted the government’s efforts to propel El Salvador forward, marking new dynamics and significant changes.
René Martínez noted that the president’s address was straightforward yet visionary, a quality that inspired hope and optimism. It was not just a speech but a roadmap for the future. At the same time, Mauricio Rodríguez identified four key themes: solidarity, collective action, eliminating fiscal debt, and ongoing transformation, all of which contribute to a brighter future for El Salvador.
Both analysts acknowledged that the reforms initiated during Bukele’s first term have enabled El Salvador to redefine itself and gain international recognition. Martínez highlighted Bukele’s ‘step by step’ metaphor, which aimed to reshape the country according to the people’s aspirations and needs, instilling confidence in the audience.
Political scientist Óscar Martínez Peñate remarked that Bukele’s speech portrayed El Salvador as a place where utopias become reality, noting the country’s removal from the list of the world’s most violent nations. He predicted El Salvador would achieve economic and financial independence, essential for future prosperity.
The three experts also praised Bukele’s announcement to submit a self-financed state budget for 2025 to the Legislative Assembly by September 30. As they explained, this budget would mark the first time El Salvador’s budget is entirely funded without debt for current expenditures, a significant step towards the country’s economic and financial independence.

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We are going to experiment with something new. We are going to post some videos to see how you like them. Our topics will be on El Salvador, our views on the topics on the news, and our views on the many things that affect our lives. We hope our followers will enjoy what we do. Everyone has their own opinions and feelings on these subjects, so please express yours and keep it respectful for everyone. Let us know what you think in the comments.