El Salvador: Bukele’s “war on gangs” leaves more than 53,000 prisoners in jail

The war against gangs that Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele has been waging for the past six months could lead to prison overcrowding and even a violent reaction from criminals, according to a report released Tuesday by the NGO International Crisis Group (ICG).

Following a historic spike in homicides in March, Bukele asked Congress to authorize a state of emergency, which suspends some constitutional rights, to launch an offensive against the “maras” that plague the Central American country.

During the semester, the police and military have raided slums and rural areas to capture more than 53,000 gang members and alleged collaborators, generating a wave of criticism from human rights groups that denounce overcrowded conditions, human rights violations, and the death of dozens of people in state custody.

For the ICG, this heavy-handed policy could generate a “boomerang effect”, as prison overcrowding, precarious conditions, and unjustified arrests could fuel tensions, leading to riots, escapes, and a regrouping of gang members at liberty.

Emerging in the United States after El Salvador’s civil war (1979-1992), the gangs have spread throughout Central America and part of Mexico, where they control extortion and drug sales. In El Salvador, authorities estimate that more than 70,000 people make up the Mara Salvatrucha, its rival, Barrio 18, and other smaller groups.

Since Bukele took office as president in mid-2019, the number of homicides in the country has more than halved. However, last year it emerged that the figure had been achieved following furtive meetings with imprisoned gang leaders in exchange for prison benefits.

With information from Gaceta

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