El Salvador Declares War on Gangs After Bukele Takes Office
248 Gang Members Sentenced to Over a Century in Prison
"I Would Rather Be Called a Dictator Than Watch My People Die in the Streets"
El Salvador, a Central American country that declared a "War on Gangs," has sentenced notorious gang members to prison terms of up to 1,335 years. On December 21 (local time), Yonhap News, citing CBS News in the United States, reported that, according to the El Salvador Attorney General's Office, 248 members of the gang "Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13)" were sentenced to prison for their involvement in various crimes, including 42 murders and dozens of disappearances.
El Salvador, a Central American country that declared a "War on Gangs," has sentenced notorious gang members to a maximum prison term of 1,335 years. The photo shows gang members incarcerated at El Salvador's prison "CECOT" to help readers understand the article. Photo by AFP Yonhap News
One gang member received a sentence of 1,335 years, while the remaining members were sentenced to lengthy prison terms ranging from 463 to 958 years. El Salvadoran authorities explained that these sentences, which far exceed a human lifespan, are intended to serve as an example to other organized crime groups.
According to Yonhap News, President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador declared a state of emergency in March 2022, allowing authorities to arrest criminals without warrants, and has since carried out a strong crackdown on gangs. To date, more than 90,000 people have been detained, with approximately 8,000 later found innocent and released.
"MS-13" is an international criminal organization based in El Salvador, notorious for crimes such as murder, mutilation of corpses, kidnapping, and human trafficking. Along with another major El Salvadoran gang, "Barrio-18," MS-13 was known to control about 80% of the country's territory. Over the past 30 years, the group is believed to have been directly or indirectly involved in the deaths of more than 200,000 people.
Earlier this year, the Donald Trump administration in the United States designated "MS-13" as a terrorist organization. At the time, President Trump described MS-13 as "possibly the most evil, the worst gang in the world," and called them "a sick and deranged group."
El Salvador's homicide rate, which stood at 105.2 per 100,000 people in 2015, plummeted to 2.4 per 100,000 in 2023 following the declaration of the "War on Gangs." However, some human rights organizations have raised concerns about law enforcement authorities abusing their power. There has also been criticism regarding the police arresting citizens or conducting searches of residences without warrants or clear evidence, relying only on suspicion during the state of emergency.
Nevertheless, the crackdown on crime has boosted President Bukele's approval rating to over 80%, making him increasingly popular. The ruling party in El Salvador, "Nueva Ideas" (New Ideas), passed a constitutional amendment in the legislature last July that abolished presidential term limits. While opposition parties protested, claiming "democracy is dead," most citizens reportedly remained largely unfazed.
In his speech marking the first anniversary of his second term in June, President Bukele stated, "I would rather be called a dictator than watch our people die in the streets," adding, "All I want is for people to finally be able to live in peace through the eradication of gangs."
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