Gang Crackdown in El Salvador Flashcards
What are the main gangs in El Salvador?
MS-13 and Barrio 18
How many gang members are estimated to be active in El Salvador?
60,000+
What are the roots of gang violence in El Salvador?
Civil war legacy (1980–1992), mass deportations from the U.S., poverty, weak institutions
What was the homicide rate like in El Salvador?
2015 (peak): 103 per 100,000 people
What is the homicide rate in El Salvador following crackdowns?
2023: 7.8 per 100,000 people
What is the government’s main strategy against gangs?
President Nayib Bukele launched a “state of exception” in 2022
What did a “state of exception” allow Bukele to do?
mass arrests, suspension of civil liberties, and construction of mega-prisons.
How many people have been arrested since 2022?
Over 75,000 people
What are some criticisms of the crackdown?
arbitrary arrests, torture, disappearances, and lack of due process.
What is the name of the new mega-prison?
Terrorism Confinement Centre (CECOT),
How many prisoners can the new mega-prison hold?
40,000
When did the mega-prison open?
2023
How has public opinion responded to Bukele’s policies?
over 85% of Salvadorans support the anti-gang measures due to improved public safety.
Realism
crackdown as a sovereign response to internal threats, prioritising order and survival over rights.
Liberalism
Critiques the lack of institutional accountability and stresses the need for rule of law, democratic norms, and human rights protections.
Constructivism
gang identities, state legitimacy, and violence are socially constructed and perpetuated by media narratives and state actions.
Postcolonial Theory
historical inequalities and external influences (like U.S. military intervention and deportation policies) that shaped modern insecurity in El Salvador.
What role has the U.S. played in this crisis?
deported 200,000 Salvadorians in 1992 alone
