US renews el-Salvador travel warning due to rampant violence

The United States has renewed its travel warning for Americans going to El Salvador, a country experiencing record levels of violence.

The US State Department said that US citizens visiting El Salvador for long periods have an increased risk of being victims of extortion by the Mara Salvatrucha and 18th Street gangs, the country's major organized crime groups.

The warning said that while no information suggests that Americans are specifically targeted, crime and violence are serious problems throughout the country. It said the murder rate for the country is one of the highest in the world.

It said that since January 2010, 38 US citizens have been murdered in El Salvador, 449 have reported stolen passports and others have been victims of violent crimes.