Lilian Hernandez cooks at her home in San Marcos, on the outskirts of San Salvador, El Salvador, on June 1, 2026. Few Salvadorans doubt that security is the greatest asset of the country that subdued the gangs. However, their concerns now center on the economic future and the austerity measures President Nayib Bukele is implementing as "bitter medicine." (Photo by Rudy QUIROZ / AFP via Getty Images)