On Monday, El Salvador deployed over 2,000 soldiers and 500 police officers to San Marcos, a neighborhood on the outskirts of the capital, San Salvador, as part of a continued crackdown on gang activity. President Nayib Bukele announced the operation on X (formerly Twitter), stating that the goal was to capture “every last gang member in the area.” The authorities set up a security perimeter with checkpoints around San Marcos, a tactic intended to prevent gang members from fleeing the area, according to Defense Minister René Francis Merino Monroy.
The latest operation marks the third time Bukele’s administration has implemented a security fence around a neighborhood to apprehend gang members still operating in the country. In March, a similar tactic was used in northern El Salvador to dismantle elements of the Barrio 18 gang, one of two major gangs that, along with MS-13, have historically exerted control over large parts of the country. These gangs have been known for violent crimes, including extortion, drug trafficking, and murder.
America ,this is how you do it !
President of El Salvador posted this:‘Police intelligence has determined that a group of gang members are hiding in the 10 de neighborhood, in San Marcos, San Salvador Sur.
Today, in the early hours of the morning, we have established a security… pic.twitter.com/zEYNaSWkar— Alex Perez Abba. (@AlexPer51573831) October 29, 2024
Bukele’s intense anti-gang policies began in response to a spike in violence in March 2022, after which he declared a “state of emergency.” Under this emergency order, constitutional rights such as freedom of assembly and the right to legal representation were suspended, allowing authorities to make widespread arrests with minimal evidence. To date, over 70,000 people have been detained under these provisions, representing more than 1% of El Salvador’s population.
While Bukele’s crackdown has been widely popular domestically, drawing support for the significant reduction in homicide rates, it has also sparked criticism from international human rights groups. These organizations have expressed concern over the conditions within overcrowded prisons and reported cases of arbitrary arrests, alleging that some detainees have little or no proven gang affiliations. Bukele’s policies have also attracted scrutiny over his efforts to run for re-election, despite El Salvador’s constitutional ban on consecutive presidential terms.
Despite criticism, Bukele’s policies have achieved notable successes in reducing gang violence. According to government data, the homicide rate has dropped sharply since the anti-gang measures were intensified. Bukele has frequently justified the extension of the state of emergency, arguing that it remains necessary to eradicate gang remnants and restore security to all parts of El Salvador.
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