El Salvador offering 5,000 free passports to highly skilled scientists, engineers, doctors, says President Nayib Bukele

livemint.com:

El Salvador has announced that the Central American country will offer 5,000 free passports to highly skilled workers. The number is equivalent to $5 billion in the country's passport programme, he added. "We're offering 5,000 free passports (equivalent to $5 billion in our passport program) to highly skilled scientists, engineers, doctors, artists, and philosophers from abroad.

This represents less than 0.1 percent of our population, so granting them full citizen status, including voting rights, poses no issue," Bukele wrote. "Despite the small number, their contributions will have a huge impact on our society and the future of our country," he said. "Plus, we will facilitate their relocation by ensuring 0 percent taxes and tariffs on moving families and assets.

This includes commercial value items like equipment, software, and intellectual property. Stay tuned for more details," Bukele added. Nearly three-quarters of El Salvador's gang members have been apprehended since Bukele initiated a crackdown two years ago, according to his security minister on April 3, AFP reported.

Gustavo Villatoro said the tally of detainees has now reached 79,184, with efforts underway to track down the remaining estimated 25,000. He also acknowledged that not all of them are within El Salvador's borders, as many have fled the country. Speaking to the TCS television network, he stated, "With the record of arrests that we have, in general terms, we can say that we're at around 75 percent ...