El Salvador declared a state of emergency after clashes between criminal gangs killed 62 people on Saturday. It was the most violent day in the country’s recent history and the bloodiest since the civil war that ended in 1992. There were deaths in the capital, San Salvador, but also in the provinces of Ahuachapán and La Libertad.
President Nayib Bukele had called for the introduction of a state of emergency on Saturday after the clashes, which was then approved by parliament. The new rules apply for 30 days: among other things, they include restrictions on gatherings and strengthen the powers of law enforcement agencies. Meanwhile, police said they arrested four leaders of the Mara Salvatrucha gang (known as MS13) on suspicion of involvement in the violence.
El Salvador is considered one of the most violent countries in the world, particularly due to the activities of criminal gangs such as MS13 and Barrio18, which authorities say have around 70,000 members nationwide and are responsible for extortion. drug trafficking and dozens of murders every year. In 2021, 1,140 murders attributed to criminal gangs were registered in El Salvador, down from the previous year (1,341). Last November, more than 40 people were killed again in three days in connection with gang violence. At least 14 had been killed on Friday.