El Salvador's fight against gang violence came at the cost of civil rights

February 22, 20235:12 AM ET
Heard on Morning Edition

EYDER PERALTA

It's been nearly a year since El Salvador's state of exception began. The effort to crack down on gangs has been hugely popular with the public there, but it has also come at a huge human cost.


STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

For almost a year, El Salvador has lived under what the government calls a state of exception, like an exception to the rules. Authorities suspended some basic civil rights. The government jailed more than 60,000 people, saying it was fighting gang violence. A violent country did become peaceful. Although, there was a cost. Here's NPR's Eyder Peralta.

UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: (Non-English language spoken).

EYDER PERALTA, BYLINE: A few years ago, you wouldn't dream of walking through this part of Soyapango.

VILMA: (Through interpreter) My daughters grew up with panic. They asked, what are we doing here? We're waiting to be killed?

PERALTA: Vilma (ph) and her friend, Orbelina (ph), were outside in a field watching their grandkids play. Like everyone in this story, they've asked us to use only their first names because they're afraid of government reprisals. Orbelina says she once got caught in the crossfire. Bodies used to be left in the alleys of this neighborhood. Now this whole city is surrounded by troops. And this place is now peaceful. I asked Orbelina if the change is real.

. . .

RUTH LOPEZ: (Through interpreter) What we have is a rupture of democracy, a rupture of the constitution.

PERALTA: Bukele, she says, has taken ahold of all three branches of government. He has installed loyal judges and loyal lawmakers. He has defied the constitution and says he will run for a third term. And this war on gangs, she says, has been undertaken with reckless disregard for human life. The suspension of constitutional guarantees means Salvadorans can be held for months, years even, without charges. Human Rights Watch says the government has been arbitrary, picking up more than 1,000 children.

More:
https://www.npr.org/2023/02/22/1158686347/el-salvadors-fight-against-gang-violence-came-at-the-cost-of-civil-rights