EL SALVADOR | A War on Gangs?

El Salvador in under a state of emergency. Following a spate of killings in March 2022, which left 62 dead in a single day, the country has imposed harsh new measures to curb gang violence. This includes mass arrests, longer prison terms, and limits on press freedom. All this has led to concern that the country is moving towards authoritarianism under its young president, Nayib Bukele. So, is it battling a new gang war, or is there something else behind this current crackdown?

Hello and welcome! My name is James Ker-Lindsay. Here I take an informed look at International Relations with a focus on territorial conflicts, secession, independence movements and new countries. If you like what you see, please do subscribe. If you want more, including exclusive content and benefits, consider becoming a channel member. Many thanks!

The Central American country of El Salvador once had the reputation as the murder capital of the world. Plagued by gang wars, in 2015, its violent death rate exceeded that of most of the world's war zones. Only Syria had a higher level. However, since 2019, things have seemed to be turning around. Under President Bukele, the country seemed to be turning around. However, in March 2022, there was another spike in violence. This has led to a dramatic new crackdown as the government has imposed a state of emergency and arrested well of 20,000 people suspected of having links to the country's two main gangs - MS-13 and Barrio 18. But is this really all about cracking down on the gangs. Or is there more to it?

CHAPTERS
0:00 Introduction and Titles
0:37 El Salvador and Gang Violence
1:50 Background to El Salvador
2:22 The Emergence of El Salvador
3:17 Military Rule and Civil War, 1931-1992
4:46 The Emergence of the Gangs
5:54 The 2012 Gang Truce
8:07 Nayib Bukele and the Gangs
9:29 New Gang Violence in El Salvador
10:54 El Salvador: Gang Violence or Authoritarianism

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KEYWORDS

#ElSalvador #Conflict #Gangs
#InternationalPolitics #CurrentAffairs #InternationalRelations
#Secession #Statehood #Independence
#InternationalLaw #InternationalHistory

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[JamesKerLindsay]

The recent surge of violence in El Salvador raises some very serious questions about the direction the country is taking? So, is President Nayib Bukele using the crack down on the gangs as a way to grab power? Or do you think the harsh measures are fully justified?

[xysm]

They call Bukele a dictator for threating criminals like criminals. These guys have murdered, mugged and robbed honest people and some people truly ask for "human rights" for them.

[auntymolly]

As a salvadorean I can confirm that finally we are safe from those criminals extorcionists and rapists. We no longer pay extorcion for selling our bread or being threaten. Seen dead bodies on the streets was normal for the last 30 years but since President Bukele came to power we are free and safe. Please respect and accept that more than 90% of the population approve and support President Bukele. We are no longer afraid to be killed and I know my grandfather's killer is behind bars. Thank you President Bukele for opening our eyes and giving us a voice.

[kouayep]

I visited El Salvador last month as a solo female traveler and I throughly enjoyed myself and felt safe.

[arveycito]

Criminals are protected by "democracy" "human rights watch", honest people are protected by Nayib Bukele, long live our president!!!

[westcoastmex]

Keep in mine people, that these “human rights “ individuals are from other countries and continents . they aren’t the ones who are being, robbed, extorted or murdered by the criminals. So maybe Bukele should ship them out to those activists neighborhoods as refugees 😂

[magicobatres]

I went to El Salvador 2 weeks ago and it feels so much safer now. People are happy now because the government cares about them not like in the previous government.

[jorgecalvo]

Absolutely I firmly approve of President Bukeles strategy to wipe out the scourge of gang violence.Whatever force is needed to defeat gang terrorism is justifiable.It is essential that human rights groups and the State Department keep their noses out of El Salvadors internal affairs.Let the people of El Salvador decide what force is needed to quash gang violence.Bukele is not an authoritarian leader.He is merely responding to the needs of his people.

[sssaaammmm]

Yo soy salvadoreño y en toda mi vida siempre soñe con alguien que hiciera algo asi, y por primera vez lo esta haciendo el presidente bukele. Yo mismo pude ver cuerpos de comerciantes tirado en la calle hace años atras, familias llorando a sus muertos, mujeres y niñas que fueron abusadas sexualmente y nunca se hizo nada contra esos terroristas. Les puedo decir que el 95% de los salvadoreños estamos felices que quiten a esos terroristas de la calle, jamas ningun presidente se preocupo tanto por el pueblo. GRACIAS PESIDENTE BUKELE.

[Luis.A.Hernandez]

We the people of El Salvador feel happy, because we chose the right way, we don’t wanna be a test lab anymore, we want to be free and even though war ended in 1992, violence didn’t gangs replaced soldier and guerrilla fighters, that’s the biggest reason why we left our country “war and violence” our country couldn’t be clean by the same people who fought the war, but we tried, we chose Bukele because he is a clean person a very hard person to be extortion by international
And national powers, it sounds crazy and stupid but countries who say wanna help us only want to keep us in this kind of environment, it is really mind boggling.
So leave us alone 98% voted for him and if that is a dictatorship is because we decided and we can change if we want but right now he is working in our benefit, we will elect our presidents not the international community, stop playing with our lifes.

[PerchiYPio]

Dear Professor, the 30 years of the 2 major corrupt parties, led to the gangs take control on many communities, the majority of hard working Salvadorans ask for tough measures against the violent organized terrorists gangs, President Bukele is just doing what Salvadorans see necessary to stabilize the country and rid the country of terrorists gangs, don't confuse or mix non criminal Salvadorans with the general population. We want a country free of terrorists gangs. Don't hiver opinion of something You don't know or understand.

[alexandermolina]

Once again focusing on the negative and ignoring the positive of Bukele's government, there is plenty to talk about Bukele's actions in the benefit of the country that the people of El Salvador give high marks to the president. No one has done so much for the country in so little time than the actual president has. So many things are changing for the better in Health, education, infrastructure, agriculture, tourism and safety overall that the vast majority of the Salvadorean people support president Bukele in his actions combating crime. Who knows better about El Salvador than Salvadoreans? the so called experts on human rights living in another country? the politicians living in US or Europe? the foreign journalists repeating the same lies emanating from the opposition losing their privileges in the country? Visit El Salvador and talk to the real people on the streets who go to work every day trying to feed their families while hoping for a better future in a nation that consistently has had very bad governments in the past and finally has a president that is doing what we Salvadoreans want and demand.

[DeedeedollieF]

So I visited El Salvador in Dec of 2011 as a teenager and then in Oct of 2020 in my mid 20’s. The difference between trips was staggering. In 2011 i had to be careful of who I talked to and where i would go. But in 2020, i visited some of the most dangerous neighborhoods and felt completely fine. I even felt fine showing my tattoos in such areas. To my understanding and opinion, is that before the corruption and violence were blatant in your face as a salvadoran but after Nayib Bukele was put in office alot more people decided to be more low key about there operations therefore making the country more attractive to tourists

[Lizethhc]

I was born in Canada and my parents Salvadorian. I have visited El Salvador many times during my life before this last visit at the end March 2022 I haven’t been since 2015. I have to say the difference is staggering people are so much happier, tourist areas look brand new even roads. I almost didn’t recognize the airport area it was beautiful. Of course it’s not perfect but it’s like night and day, I felt safe and was able to visit areas I never did before. I spent a month there and wish I could’ve stayed longer I’ve never seen El Salvador this way in my life and I’m excited to go back. Also people there love the president I think most of criticism I have seen and heard from are from non Salvadorians and people outside the country. Honestly from being there and with Salvadorian people I also approve of him and what he is doing. I love El Salvador and hope he continues to bring it forward.

[franciscohidalgo]

Gangs recruiting youngsters seem like a never ending problem. Theses extreme measures are not only about punishing murderers but to stop that vicious cycle.

[FredoRockwell]

I visited El Salvador as a backpacker in 1994. Central San Salvador was, to be honest, terrifying. Most streets I walked down were flanked by shuttered shops and totally empty. The outskirts of town were busier. I ran into another American who lived there. He rightly told me I was crazy to be there (totally correct) and that the US government was deporting gang members to the county. I left San Salvador after only a couple nights. The rest of the country was peaceful, but I passed through quickly to Nicaragua. 🙂

[karlcx]

it's very, very easy to criticise from the comfort of overseas - but hamstringing a government that has a plan and has shown sucesses seems pretty weak. We can afford to make free speech sacrosanct, but in an environment where the realities are very different, and glory in the press can be chased by gangs, as well as serve to further destabilize, it's time to listen to bukele - not sanction him.

[derechoplano]

I write from El Salvador, where I have lived for the last 20 years. I politely invite Mr. Ker-Lindsay to come and live in a poor Salvadoran neighborhood for a year and endure the gang violence and harassment. Then, I can guarantee that his perspective will change radically. I politely invite all the human rights advocates that are worried with the human rights of the gang members to live in such neighborhoods. Even when they live in El Salvador, they live in a safe neighborhood (as do I). Only two examples: the nephew of a coworker was murdered by the gangs because he had a minibus to feed his family and he refused to pay extorsion to the gangs. The body of a student of mine appeared cut into pieces in the beach.

Poor people are desperate and El Salvador is burning while the rich countries, NGOs and international organizations play the fiddle, like Nero, and congratulate themselves about how progressive, democratic, tolerant and evolved they are ... while poor people pay for this virtue signaling of privileged white people and pay with blood. Please, don't "help" us. We are fed up with moral busybodies that are safe in their homes and come in an imperialistic way with the force of rich countries and international organizations to protect the criminals and damage the normal people. Help your country if you want.

[rob_in_sv]

I feel that you presented this topic in an impartial way. Kudos to you, Prof. I liked the way you started off with some history of the country as well.
The one thing I can't help but notice is how the U.S. government tries to put their two cents into this situation and mentions how the press should have the freedom to do their job without fear of violence, repression or unjust detention. LMAO. 😂🤣😂
I just want to point out that this is the same U.S. government that is incessantly going after Julian Assange for exercising his right to free speech, his right to do his job as a journalist and his right to facilitate the job of other journalist to report.
What is known as the established opposition in El Salvador is using its deep rooted foreign network contacts to "spin" the recently passed laws that make it illegal for gangs and their collaborators to promote themselves and their terrorist activities. These laws do not affect legitimate news information channels who are reporting on gangs or their activities. 🤦‍♂️
It's about time the government takes drastic measures to combat this deep rooted cancer that affected Salvadorean society. It's growth was fostered and sponsored by years of endemic corruption that was the norm in past government administrations. El Salvador became a failed state and now it has the chance to undergo transcendental change and live up to its true potential. Are some human rights being violated along the way? Yes, absolutely, but it's a minority, almost a negligible amount.
Believe it or not, there are deep rooted interest, foreign and domestic, that want to keep El Salvador under their control so that Salvadoreans will continue to live under a reign of terror and impoverishment with no hope in sight but to leave their homeland while the powers that be continue to do as they wish, pillaging the country's economic resources, making pacts to allow more foreign 🇺🇲 military bases here in this country.
These "human rights" advocates who love to cry foul from their comfortable offices in their safe surroundings far from the action are just like loud barking dogs. All bark and no bite. Where were these so called "Human Rights" activists when all these innocent hard working Salvadorean civilians were being extorted, forcibly put under control in their own homes and neighborhoods by the respective gangs who ruled these neighborhoods. None of the "human rights" advocates said a damn word or cared about the human rights of decent hard working people who are trying their best to get their families ahead in life.
Now all of a sudden they are up in arms, screaming their lungs out all over the media because criminals and their collaborators are being dealt with.

[illumi]

I support Bukele for what he’s doing to improve the lives of the people of El Salvador 🇸🇻