Gang Activity Hub Soyapango Surrounded, Gang Members Sought
Last Month Included Destruction of Deceased Gang Member's Tombstone
A photo posted on Twitter by Nayib Bukele, President of El Salvador, on the 3rd (local time). It shows El Salvadoran soldiers preparing for an operation to root out gangs. Photo by Yonhap News
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] Central American country El Salvador, which declared a 'war on gangs,' has mobilized 10,000 soldiers to lock down an entire city and conduct a gang sweep.
On the 4th (local time), according to the British BBC and others, El Salvador's military and police surrounded Soyapango, located 13 km west of El Salvador's capital San Salvador, and are conducting identity checks on citizens. Soyapango is one of the largest cities in El Salvador, with a population of 290,000, and has long been known as a hub of gang activity. BBC reported that all routes leading to Soyapango have been blocked, and police are stopping citizens trying to leave the city, checking each person's ID one by one.
The operation is being led by President Nayib Bukele. On the 3rd, he posted on his Twitter account, "Soyapango city is completely surrounded. 8,500 soldiers and 1,500 agents have encircled the city, and the police and military are still carrying out the mission of rooting out gang members remaining there one by one." Later that day, President Bukele posted another message stating, "Ordinary citizens have nothing to fear. They can continue their lives normally. This operation targets criminals, not honest citizens."
In March, President Bukele declared a state of emergency after gang-related murders surged to 62 cases per day. Since then, gang members can be arrested without a warrant, and related laws have been revised to impose heavy sentences simply for gang membership. In October, more than 2,000 police and military personnel, along with drones, were deployed to lock down the Comasagua area, arresting 50 suspects over two days.
Homicides in El Salvador from January to October this year decreased by 38% compared to the same period last year. President Bukele expressed satisfaction, saying, "The operation is effective." It is reported that over 58,000 gang members have been arrested during the nine months of the 'war on gangs' operation.
Even deceased gang members could not escape eradication. Last month, the El Salvador government began a project using inmates to destroy tombstones of gang members in cemeteries nationwide to prevent identification of the deceased. On November 1, inmates wielding large hammers and levers destroyed the tombstones of 'Mara Salvatrucha' gang members at a cemetery in Santa Tecla, La Libertad province near San Salvador.
Also known as 'MS-13,' this organization is one of the most notorious gangs for extreme violent acts. Formed mainly by immigrants who moved to Los Angeles, USA, in the 1980s, the gang operates primarily in the USA and Central America, committing crimes such as murder, corpse mutilation, kidnapping, and human trafficking. Inmates in the nearby region of Col?n were assigned similar tasks. At the time, Osiris Luna Mesa, Deputy Minister of Justice, stated, "Violent gang members are not worthy of recognition, so we are removing their graves," adding, "We will make sure gangs have no place to stand."
Human rights organizations have criticized the government's tough gang crackdown, alleging that arrests are being made based solely on citizens' appearance, age, or residence during the enforcement process. Since the declaration of the state of emergency, El Salvador has expanded police powers for arrest and detention, and access to lawyers has not been properly guaranteed. According to NGO statistics, at least thousands of human rights violations have been confirmed during the gang crackdown, and at least 80 people have died in custody. However, the El Salvador government stated, "This is an unavoidable measure to make the country safer," and announced that it will maintain the current emergency system for the time being.
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