An emergency situation, to try to stem the violence. El Salvador's legislature on Wednesday again extended a state of emergency by a month to maintain President Nayib Bukele's "war" against violent gangs, which has already led to nearly 66,000 arrests.
This extension, approved by 67 of the 84 deputies of the unicameral congress, is the twelfth since the entry into force of this emergency regime in March 2022. The "government's war on gangs has allowed the Salvadoran population to feel a sense of security, as investigations show," the legislative decree says.
A wave of 87 murders attributed to gangs
According to official figures, this "war" against violent gangs has already led to 65,795 arrests, and 2,513 firearms have been seized. The state of emergency, which has drawn criticism from human rights organizations, allows arrests without warrants. It was established after a wave of 87 murders attributed to "maras", gangs that spread terror in El Salvador and neighboring countries.
In early February, the government inaugurated a gigantic penitentiary in the southeast of the country, on the outskirts of the city of Tecoluca, where 40,000 suspected gang members will be held. A contingent of 2,000 suspected gangsters was transferred earlier Wednesday to this facility equipped with high-tech surveillance, after a first group of 2,000 detainees in late February.
- World
- El Salvador