Thousands of El Salvador gang members moved to new 'mega prison'

Prisoners have begun arriving at El Salvador's new Terrorism Confinement Centre, thought to be the largest megaprison in the Americas, in the latest step in a controversial crackdown on crime that has caused the prison population to soar.

Photographs show police officers in riot gear guarding the arrival of inmates belonging to the MS-13 and 18 gangs to the sprawling prison in Tecoluca, 50 miles southeast of San Salvador, on Friday.

Prisoners are seen stripping down to white shorts, with their heads shaved, running through the new prison into cells. Many bear gang tattoos.

The facility will eventually hold many of the more than 62,000 people authorities have arrested since the government suspended some constitutional rights and pushed an all-out offensive against the gangs last March.

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#Gangs #ElSalvador #Megaprison

[valentincastillo]

I have an employee whose parents visited again recently they say the difference is shocking. They started to rip on how weak the US is on crime compare to their homeland. They’re considering moving back home.

[Jay-hrrh]

They went from having gang power. Now to be treated like unwanted cattle.

[Sana_a]

El Salvador homicide rate 2015: 103 per 100 000 people.
El Salvador homicide rate 2019: 36 per 100 000 people
El Salvador homicide rate 2022: 7.8 per 100 000 people.

El Salvador homicide rate 2023 is so far looking at 2.3 per 100 000 people. (70.5% decrease in 1 year). This would make it the safest country in all of Central America.
Incredible progress for the country!

[nguboyengwekaluvuyo]

Well done El Salvador. President Bukele is really cleaning things up 👌🏽

[OckGypsy]

My dad is from El Salvador. Glad to see a push to make it safer.

[mosawamorena]

"human rights activists" is quickly becoming a term that describes lawless enablers

[mtkoslowski]

These are animals. They have no regard for decent human life.

[doratiscareno]

Some are worried about Their Human Rights Being Violated....
And
Are They Also Worried About....
All The Greaving Families Left Behind With So Much Pain
AFTER
Loosing A Loved One
At Their Hands

[TheVovozela]

Imagine being a prisoner among them without any tattoos.

[meejinhuang]

The US and Mexico needs to do the same.

[zinaidaparker]

Difficult times - extraordinary decisions.

[Mike-bmyf]

I grieve for none of them, and hope this becomes a world model. Seriously, who the hell pities them?

[nonenothing]

Human rights violation is nonsense. These gangs violated it on others and now they should suffer the same. If they repent at least they will escape eternal hell. They should be subjected to maximum punishment. Good to give them one meal a day. Please have a chapel in the prison

[JaimeNunez-inkr]

Extraordinary measures are needed to combat crime culture and organized crime.

[mclaine]

If El Salvador was able to crack down and end the gang wars… why can’t Mexico get their act together and end the cartel wars.

[eduardoherrera-gupr]

We are safer now than 10 years ago. I wasn’t even able to go visit other cities or villages because the gang members could ask me for my ID and see where I was born. If I was from a city that they knew that it was from the other gang, they probably would’ve killed me.

[jennifergomez]

👏 Bravo!! I wish they did something like that in Colombia!

[janerodriguez]

Presidente Bukele mi respeto para un presidente que no a tenido miedo acer por su país. Excelente ejemplo para los países del mundo. Su cárcel es una cárcel no un hotel como lo demás.

[ricardoguanipa]

Currently Most popular President in Latin America, Nayib Bukele, Son of a Palestinian Immigrant, left the FMLN Salvador Left-wing Party anf the Former Marxist Guerillas of the 70s and 80s, and ran for President as independent due to the parties corruption, Europeans and North Americans Liberals Dont like his Tactics but it doesnt matter because his people love for doing this...hopefully they wont find Oil in El Salvador

[jennygarcia]

They are so culturally enriched, so diverse. Brandon needs to bring them to America and give them political asylum! ASAP