..imposing emergency security measures and giving police sweeping powers of arrest. thousands are now behind bars. and the country is transforming before people s eyes. but there s a dark underside hidden from view. human rights groups are dismayed, as are relatives, as thousands have been arbitrarily arrested. peace may have come to el salvador, but at what price? teacher audelia has lived here since the late 19905 la campanera in the capital s notorious soyapango district. more than 20 years ago, rival gangs the ms 13 and the 18th street gang took control of neighbourhoods across the country. they became, in effect, no go areas for outsiders and the police. thousands were murdered or caught in the crossfire. and in those years of the growth of the gangs, can you explain to us what it was like living here? but in the last 12 months, audelia has witnessed the change on these streets that she never thought possible. for the past year, el salvador has been living under an eme
But theres a dark underside hidden from view. Human Rights Groups are dismayed, as are relatives, at the thousands that have been arbitrarily arrested. Peace may have come to el salvador, but at what price . La campanera, in the capitals notorious soyapango district. More than 20 years ago, rival gangs the ms 13 and the 18th Street Gang took control of neighbourhoods across the country. They became, in effect, no go areas for outsiders and the police. Thousands were murdered or caught in the crossfire. And in those years of the growth of the gangs, can you explain to us what it was like living here . But in the last 12 months, audelia has witnessed the change on these streets that she never thought possible. For the past year, el salvador has been living under an Emergency Measure called the state of exception. Police and military have been mobilised in vast numbers and some Constitutional Rights suspended. Defeating the gangs was one of the main election promises of nayib bukele, a fo
with gang symbols on them. hundreds of former gang safe houses are also being reclaimed. with the help of low interest loans, they are passed on to localfamilies, like audelia s.
his policy has brought bukele unprecedented levels of support in el salvador. with a series of high impact, headline grabbing orders captured by his well oiled media machine, mr bukele is now trying to wipe away any trace of the gangs from public view, even destroying gravestones with gang symbols on them. hundreds of former gang safe houses are also being reclaimed. with the help of low interest loans, they are passed on to localfamilies, like audelia s.
of the gangs from public view, even destroying gravestones with gang symbols on them. hundreds of former gang safe houses are also being reclaimed. with the help of low interest loans, they are passed on to localfamilies, like audelia s.