Man jailed for 1,335 years as El Salvador sentences almost 250 MS-13 gang members

"The attorney general's office posted on X that 248 members of the notorious Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) street gang had received exemplary sentences for 43 homicides and 42 disappearances, among other crimes. It did not specify the date of the sentencings or whether the accused had been tried en masse. One individual was sentenced to 1,335 years in prison, while 10 others received prison terms ranging from 463 to 958 years, the post on Sunday said."

"Since March 2022, President Nayib Bukele has been cracking down on gangs under a state of emergency that allows for arrests without warrants. More than 90,000 people have been detained, and about 8,000 have been released after being found not guilty, according to official sources. Bukele's campaign against gangs has reduced homicides to historically low levels in the Central American country, but human rights groups accuse the security forces of committing abuses."

"According to the Salvadoran government, MS-13 and another gang, Barrio 18, are responsible for the deaths of about 200,000 people over the course of three decades. The two gangs once controlled an estimated 80% of the country and El Salvador had one of the highest homicide rates in the world. The groups extorted victims who owned businesses, demanding different amounts of money in exchange for not harming them, the attorney general's office said."

El Salvador announced prison sentences for hundreds of gang members, including 248 Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) members convicted for 43 homicides and 42 disappearances. One individual received a 1,335‑year sentence, and 10 others received terms between 463 and 958 years. Since March 2022, a state of emergency permitting arrests without warrants has supported a wide crackdown that detained more than 90,000 people, with about 8,000 later released. Homicide rates have fallen to historically low levels, while human rights groups accuse security forces of abuses. The government attributes about 200,000 deaths to MS-13 and Barrio 18 over three decades.

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