Photo: MARTIAL TREZZINI/KEYSTONE/DPA/PICTURE ALLIANCE / Deutsche Welle
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, urged this Wednesday (25.05.2022) to El Salvador to ensure the safety of the citizens in the face of gang violence, respecting international human rights law.
“I understand that security, and how crime is managed, is something extremely challenging and I recognize the challenges you have with the gangs in El Salvador,” said the high commissioner in an interview recorded and broadcast during the first day of the first forum Bloomberg New Economy Gateway Latin America, held on the outskirts of Panama City.
He added that the “state of emergency that led to more than 30,000 people arrested and the consequences of the proceedings penalties” is a matter that “concerns” him. Bachelet declared that in El Salvador “there is good intention, but it has to be done in a way that respects human rights.”
“The State must ensure security and justice, but complying with human rights laws,” added the official. Bachelet participated in the forum organized by Bloomberg on the outskirts of the Panamanian capital.
The rate of Salvadoran exception
At the end of March, El Salvador experienced a wave of murders perpetrated by gangs, mainly by the Mara Salvatrucha (MS), which led Congress to declare an exceptional regime, which still exists. Between the 25 and 27 March were murdered 87 people in El Salvador and the day 26 ranked as the bloodiest in recent Salvadoran history with 62 homicides.
Under this exceptional regime, which fulfilled its first term of 27 days and was extended for an equal period, they have been detained for more than 30.000 people, according to data from the Salvadoran Police. The president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, has defined this as a “war against the gangs” and the main commitment of the Executive is the massive arrest of alleged gang members and collaborators.
The gangs are a phenomenon considered as a legacy of the civil war in the country (1992-1992) and that was strengthened with the deportation of gang members from the United States. Currently, they have more than 70.000 members and have resisted the security plans implemented in the last four Administrations.
ama (efe, bloomberg)