This archive report was first published on 8 July 2019.
On June 1, Nayib Bukele took office as the President of El Salvador, a country plagued by high rates of violent crime. In a recent press conference, he outlined a bold plan to tackle the issue, stating, "I believe that the blow we are going to give to this structure is a mortal blow. I do not believe that gangs as we know them now will exist in three or four years," (published on July 8, 2019).
As part of the security plan, Salvadoran security forces have been targeting extortion rackets run by gangs to finance their operations. Authorities have also declared a state of emergency in 20 prisons in the country, tightening the conditions of confinement and ordering mobile phone operators to block internet and cellphone reception in prison to prevent gang members from ordering killings and extortion while behind bars.
Earlier this month, the government announced the second phase of the security plan, which aims to gain "territorial control" of dozens of gang-riven communities while disrupting the recruitment of young people through social programs. El Salvador is thought to have some 70,000 gang members, of whom around 17,000 are imprisoned. Most belong to either Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) or its rival Barrio 18.
With one of the highest rates of violent crime of any country not at war, El Salvador has an average of 51 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in 2018, most of which are attributed to gangs. President Bukele called for the public to collaborate with the government to stop gang violence, saying, "We cannot overcome this scourge alone... This is a unique opportunity we have to beat the gangs," (published on July 8, 2019).
