In-DepthThe Americas

Bukele’s ‘War on Gangs’ Is Reopening El Salvador’s Civil War Wounds

Bukele’s ‘War on Gangs’ Is Reopening El Salvador’s Civil War Wounds
Salvadoran security forces transport people they arrested for alleged links to gangs in Comasagua, El Salvador, Oct. 3, 2022 (AP photo by Salvador Melendez).

In March, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele declared a state of emergency and suspended fundamental rights, giving security forces extended powers to detain and arrest people suspected of gang crimes. Since then, over 58,000 people accused of being gang members have been arrested—and human rights violations have spiked.

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