El Salvador to issue verdicts in mass MS-13 gang trial next week
Salvadoran authorities are conducting mass trials of thousands of suspected gang members as part of an unprecedented crackdown on crime.
El Salvador is set to announce verdicts in a massive trial against alleged MS-13 gang leaders next week, according to a court official. President Nayib Bukele, known for his hardline approach to crime, is championing this unprecedented crackdown. The 485 defendants face more than 47,000 charges, including homicide, femicide, extortion, drug trafficking, and forced disappearances. If convicted, they could receive sentences of thousands of years.
The trials have drawn both praise and criticism. Supporters commend Bukele's efforts to combat gang violence, while human rights groups allege crimes against humanity and the imprisonment of innocent individuals. Since 2022, when Bukele declared war on gangs, over 90,000 people have been detained in extrajudicial circumstances. Amnesty International reports that hundreds have died in custody.
MS-13, one of Central America's most powerful criminal gangs, is also designated as a terrorist organization by the United States.
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