El Salvador’s courts on Thursday began holding mass trials of jailed gang members, first processing around 500 alleged members of the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang.
The trial is part of El Salvador’s ongoing crackdown on gang violence, spearheaded by recently re-elected President Nayib Boucle. On Thursday, 492 suspected MS-13 leaders went on trial for more than 37,400 crimes allegedly committed collectively by the defendants between 2012 and 2022.
Mr. Max Muñoz, Deputy Director of the Organized Crime Prosecutor’s Office of El Salvador said On Thursday, it was announced that 24 “historic leaders” of MS-13 are among some 492 people on trial.
Fee, according to Reports to the Salvadoran Attorney General’s Office include, but are not limited to, 29,416 cases of aggravated murder, 907 cases of missing persons, and 492 cases of extortion. Other charges include weapons, human and drug trafficking, and terrorism.
“The investigation revealed that each crime committed by each gang member required the orders and approval of the ringleaders,” the attorney general’s office said on social media.
Each of the 492 defendants will be sentenced to at least 95 years in prison.
El Salvador’s Attorney General Rodolfo Delgado said on social media: “They sowed the seeds of terror for decades, but they will pay for every life blindsided, every family torn apart. It will happen,” he said.
Delgado said the court is expected to issue a ruling on Friday. At the time of writing, no judgment has yet been rendered.
#CombatApandyrus | Las Evidence Presentas Por La @FGR_SV An interim court review should be initiated to establish the structure of the MS.
This happened 95 years ago. pic.twitter.com/VmwcTk2phy
— Directorate General of the Republic of El Salvador (@FGR_SV) February 9, 2024
Thursday’s mass trial was held through virtual courtrooms in each of the country’s prisons where the defendants are currently being held.
At last year’s El Salvador conference, approved Amendments to the Criminal Code that will allow mass trials to be carried out in the country.
El Salvador’s Justice Minister Gustavo Villatoro explained at the time that the reforms would allow judges to handle groups of more than 900 people at a time in a single hearing, all accused of belonging to the same criminal organization.
“There is nothing in the history of the world that resembles what we are facing now,” Villatoro told AFP in July. “There are over 900 claims per case.” [gang clique cell] In this interim decree. ”
Amendments to El Salvador’s penal code also allow the Attorney General’s Office to no longer have to submit separate evidence against gang members in criminal justice proceedings.
El Salvador has been under de facto martial law since March 2022, and martial law is continually renewed every month. This statute will be used to enact a massive crackdown on the nation’s most dangerous gangs, while restricting the right to association and other civil liberties. report The “virtual disappearance” of MS-13, 18th Street, and other notorious and dangerous criminal organizations.
The ongoing crackdown on gangs has contributed to President Nayib Boukre’s record-high approval ratings, which he has consistently enjoyed in recent years.Bukele is re-elected He won a landslide victory last week, starting a new five-year presidential term, despite the constitution explicitly barring the president from re-election.
Bukele was able to contest last week’s election thanks to a loophole in the law created by the Supreme Court of Justice in 2021 after pro-Bukele factions gained a majority in parliament. replaced All justice on the bench.
The loophole, a controversial interpretation of Article 152 of El Salvador’s constitution, would force Bukele to “resign” from the presidency at least six months before the end of his 2019-2024 term, which is scheduled to end in June. I am asking you to do so.
Organization of American States (OAS) recognized Regarding Boucle’s victory this week, he said there was “no doubt” that Boucle had an overwhelming victory, but that his New Idea (NI) party currently has de facto one-party control in El Salvador. He highlighted his concerns about – especially after winning 58 seats in the referendum – 60 seats in parliament across the country.
Christian K. Caruso is a Venezuelan writer who chronicles life under socialism. You can follow him on Twitter here.
