El Salvador accumulates almost 42,000 detainees in the framework of a “war” against gangs declared almost three months ago by President Nayib Bukele, Attorney General Rodolfo Delgado said Thursday.
“The last count that was made in the early morning hours [del jueves] it already reflected more or less 41,846 people detained”declared Delgado to the state Channel 10 of the local television.
Of the total number of suspected gang members arrested, the Prosecutor’s Office has managed to have 33,258 “provisionally detained” for a period of six months.
They still have to start the process for another 8,588, while 456 regained their freedom at the first hearing because “they were not linked to gangs,” Delgado said.
Once the first six months of detention of a suspected gang member are completedthe Prosecutor’s Office could request to “extend” the imprisonment for another six months, depending on the “complexity” of the cases.
“We consider that a detention of at least one year It would allow us to complement the proceedings against these people,” the prosecutor stressed.
Among the “evidence” that, according to Delgado, they use to demonstrate the connection of the detainee to the criminal organization, include “the marks [tatuajes de sus respectivas bandas] that they have in their bodies,” and the drugs that have been seized from them.
The 1,015 vehicles found in his possession are also used as evidence. and that “they come from activities such as extortion”, in addition to firearms seized in raids or after confrontations with the security forces.
According to the latest balance from the Ministry of Justice and Security, the gangs have also seized 1.5 million dollars in cash, 821 firearms and 8,994 cell phones.
The murder of 87 people between March 25 and 27, in crimes attributed to gangs, led Congress to declare an emergency regime at the request of Bukele himself, which was extended at least until the end of June. Prosecutor Delgado hopes that it will spread again.
Under an exceptional regime, the authorities can carry out arrests without a court order. Parliament, controlled by allies of the president, has also raised penalties for gang-related crimes.
The Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gangs mainly operate in El Salvador. and Barrio 18. Until before the government onslaught, some were imprisoned. 16,000 of its members.
But with the arrests of the last three months, 57,846 members would be behind bars, 83% of the 70,000 members officially considered to exist in the country.
El Salvador accumulates almost 42,000 detainees in the framework of a “war” against gangs declared almost three months ago by President Nayib Bukele, Attorney General Rodolfo Delgado said Thursday.
“The last count that was made in the early morning hours [del jueves] it already reflected more or less 41,846 people detained”declared Delgado to the state Channel 10 of the local television.
Of the total number of suspected gang members arrested, the Prosecutor’s Office has managed to have 33,258 “provisionally detained” for a period of six months.
They still have to start the process for another 8,588, while 456 regained their freedom at the first hearing because “they were not linked to gangs,” Delgado said.
Once the first six months of detention of a suspected gang member are completedthe Prosecutor’s Office could request to “extend” the imprisonment for another six months, depending on the “complexity” of the cases.
“We consider that a detention of at least one year It would allow us to complement the proceedings against these people,” the prosecutor stressed.
Among the “evidence” that, according to Delgado, they use to demonstrate the connection of the detainee to the criminal organization, include “the marks [tatuajes de sus respectivas bandas] that they have in their bodies,” and the drugs that have been seized from them.
The 1,015 vehicles found in his possession are also used as evidence. and that “they come from activities such as extortion”, in addition to firearms seized in raids or after confrontations with the security forces.
According to the latest balance from the Ministry of Justice and Security, the gangs have also seized 1.5 million dollars in cash, 821 firearms and 8,994 cell phones.
The murder of 87 people between March 25 and 27, in crimes attributed to gangs, led Congress to declare an emergency regime at the request of Bukele himself, which was extended at least until the end of June. Prosecutor Delgado hopes that it will spread again.
Under an exceptional regime, the authorities can carry out arrests without a court order. Parliament, controlled by allies of the president, has also raised penalties for gang-related crimes.
The Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gangs mainly operate in El Salvador. and Barrio 18. Until before the government onslaught, some were imprisoned. 16,000 of its members.
But with the arrests of the last three months, 57,846 members would be behind bars, 83% of the 70,000 members officially considered to exist in the country.
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