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El Salvador’s new authoritarian president, Nayib Bukele, has declared a state of emergency, repealing citizens’ rights following last week’s killings amid clashes between drug gangs.
Bukele authorities initially threatened the gangs with retaliation against their members held in the country’s prisons, with severe scenes of ‘discipline’ against inmates gang members like MS13.
Already thousands of family members have gathered at police stations to learn about the fate of their loved ones, just like a week ago at the prison doors after the 40-year-old president’s panic campaign.
Men, women and children have been arrested across the Central American country since the declaration of emergency on March 27, when constitutional rights were suspended.
The state of emergency was declared after several days of violence in which 87 people were killed, for whom Bukele quickly blamed the ‘Mara Salvatrucha’ gang, otherwise known as MS-13.
Police already say they have arrested MS-13 leaders who ordered the killings, but more and more evidence shows the captives are ordinary people in gang-dominated areas.
In the capital San Salvador, hundreds of mothers and women had gathered in front of a naval base that is being used as a mass detention center.
Carmen Rodríguez, 33, says she does not know why her husband, brother and nephew were arrested a week ago for unloading a used car in the capital’s main market.
“When we asked the police why they were taking them, they started insulting us,” said Rodríguez, who said she could not find the money to bring food to the detention center.
“They are taking the good, instead of the sinners. “It’s good for the police to do their job but it is unfair to take honest working people – and even treat them like animals,” she added.
Last week, Bukele announced that “food for incarcerated gang members would be rationed” to feed new inmates, as he said “no money should be taken from the education budget to feed terrorists.”
The 30-day state of emergency allows arrest and detention for 15 instead of three normally, without the right of defense counsel.
Parliament controlled by Bukele’s lawyers have passed a law arresting juveniles suspected of being gang members.
Zaira Navas, a lawyer for the Salvadoran group Cristosal, said: “The prisoners have no rights, they are prisoners of war and they do not even know the reason for their arrest.”
But Bukele is taking an increasingly militant stance against those who oppose his government, and has recently called the US representation, George Soros’s Open Society and other liberal groups in the country “gang collaborators.”
Rosa López said police stormed her home in Santa Tecla on March 26, and arrested her 20-year-old cousin who has heart disease, and now still knows nothing about her.
“The police did not ask anyone, they just entered the house and took him. “They caught everyone they saw, this is not only unfair but also illegal,” said 26-year-old López.
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