In El Salvador, a virtual sentencing hearing was held for 492 leaders of the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang, who are accused of thousands of crimes, including over 500 homicides.
The gang leaders are linked to numerous crimes committed between 2012 and 2022, including homicides, disappearances, extortion, arms trafficking, and human trafficking.
“More than 500 homicides, disappearances, extortion, arms trafficking, and human trafficking are being attributed to this group,” deputy director Max Munoz said.
They are also accused of seeking to control part of the country’s territory and engaging in activities such as collecting taxes and exercising their own justice.
The judge’s ruling is expected soon, and the attorney general emphasized that the gang leaders will be held accountable for the terror they have caused.
“If it is proven that they are leaders and that they have committed serious crimes against the population, it seems to me that they should suffer a fair trial and that they can really be condemned,” Human Rights Commission coordinator Miguel Montenegro said.
This development comes amid President Nayib Bukele’s widely popular crackdown on violent gangs, which has garnered both support and criticism, with concerns raised about arbitrary arrests and inhumane prison conditions.
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