Gang Violence In El Salvador

Today’s violence in El Salvador consists of ruthless gang members. According to CRS (Congressional Research Service) about 30,000 kids have joined the maras and it will continue to increase. Due to the gang violence, children are fleeing the country to prevent from becoming victims or recruited, furthermore families are streaming into the U.S to seek asylum. Alike today, El Salvador experienced the same immigration crisis back in 1980 when the civil war was the cause for Salvadorans to immigrate to the United Sates. Repression and violation of human rights was the root cause, now gang violence is the root cause striking a similar pattern of the effects of violence. In 1980, El Salvador’s right-wing government had death squads to kill citizens for suspicion of supporting a social reform. Military soldiers attacked many villages, including El Mozote in which men, women, and children were tortured and subjected to sexual violence.

Gangsters Without Borders by T.W. Ward is an ethnography about the El Salvadorian gang Mara Salvatrucha. Wards spent years earning the trust of these youth in order to complete his research. Starting out Ward had three broad goals in mind to develop a clear view of gang members and gang life. The second objective of Wards, “To observe how gang members changed over time as they matured into adulthood,” peaked my interest in this ethnography.

The word gang-everyone knows what it means or what it stands for. Of course by the time children get to the end of their elementary years they’ve heard of know gangs such as; the Cribs, Bloods, Latin Kings, Vatos Locos, but none of those names cause as much fear and terror as the gang called La Mara Salvatrucha aka MS-13. La Mara known for their psychotic methods of killing and running their turf, no other gang comes close to causing the same fear as La Mara Salvatrucha (ms-13gang.com). Forced to abandon their home land due to the civil war in El Salvador, the adventure to the U.S. was good at the start but soon the odds turned against them. Therefore for their

Have people ever heard about El Salvador? If they have, they probably heard about its high homicide rates and criminal gangs (CIA World). Unfortunately, the beauty of this Spanish-speaking country gets overshadowed by these negative traits. However, El Salvador has much more to offer such as its history, geography, culture, economy, and climate; characteristics that build up this Central American country.

For twelve years (1980-1992), El Salvador suffered this brutal civil war and saw some of the worst human rights abuses in Latin American history. The government refused to attend peace talks by the FMLN and the FMLN refused to participate in elections knowing it results would be rigged. The military tried to kill all suspected rebels and the FMLN damaged anything that supported the government’s economy. Throughout the war there was so much human rights violations such as subjecting civilians to torture, forced disappearance, extrajudicial killing, mutilation, mass rape, massacres, summary executions, landmines and indiscriminate bombing. As the result, by the end of the civil war about 75,000 people were killed, sadly most of which were civilians in the wrong place at the wrong time. The intensity of military repression and constant fear provoked massive northern migration to the United States. By the mid-1980s almost one-fifth of the Salvadoran population was living in the United

El Salvador is a small and beautiful country in Central America bordered by Honduras, Guatemala, and the Pacific Ocean. During recent years, violence and poverty have plagued the country due to over-population and class struggles. “The civil war in El Salvador began in 1980 to 1992 due to discontent with social inequalities, a poor economy, and the repressive measures of dictatorship” (Wiarda, p. 213). There remains conflict between the rich and the poor, this has existed for more than a century and is still a big problem.

There has been many long term effects from the civil war in El Salvador. The war lasted about 12 years from 1980 to 1992, and El salvador is still dealing with old issues from that time. It was the darkest times in El Salvador’s history. The inequality of social classes, poverty,and military rule led Salvadorians to revolt against their own government.

Problems affecting the workforce in El Salvador is affected by gender and social class status. Finally, the country has a high homicide rate related to gang activity. It is not uncommon to see armed guards patrolling the

Guatemala once was a magnificent vacation country for many Americans. Now, many Americans are choosing a different getaway.Guatemala has seen many changes to daily life due to drug cartels and street gangs. Drug cartels and street gangs have been taking over the cities and rural areas. These two very dangerous groups of people have been threatening some people and killing others. Many families have to pay to guarantee a safe life. If a family can not pay, they have to escape their homeland. The cartels and gangs ruined many families and traumatised many more. The citizens need help but, not from only themselves. The government needs to help and realize that there is a problem that can ruin their country. The government needs to take

Some do not have the choice. The only choice they are left with is either stay and be killed or take the risk of being killed with a better future if they make it. Many placing in Central America such as Honduras, where Enrique is from, is filled with violence caused by gangs. The crime rate is so high in San Pedro Sula, Honduras second largest city, that in 2014 the murder rate was 171 per 100,000 people. More than 97 percent of all murders go unsolved. Honduras doesn’t have the resources to battle this gangs. Many people in Honduras will avoid going out at all in order to be safe. It is not uncommon to be driving or walking to school or work and see a dead body in the sidewalk or a parking lot. Many of these murders go unsolved because the people that could help out authorities are either killed or are extremely scared to do anything about it. Young kids growing up in communities like this that don’t plan on emigrating in the United States will often join gangs. Children are a big target for gangs as they can be trained and taught to do what they want. Children will join gangs for a number of reasons. Some join to feel that they are a part of something, to feel that they have a family with people who care about them. Many are in this situation due to not growing up with their parents. This could be the kids of migrant mothers who make the journey into the United States to provide a better future for kids only to have them feel abandoned and find comfort in a gang. Others simply join out of fear. They join so that that gang will not kill them and by joining the gang, they have people who will defend them from other rival gangs. In Enrique’s journey, Enrique made friends from a gang called MS-13, also known as Mara Salvatrucha. His friendship didn’t last long but while he had it, his friends would have his back and help each other out. They even protected

Throughout 1939-1971, El Salvador was run by a military-style dictatorship, causing those who had land and wealth to be stripped from them just because they could. According to Encyclopedia Britannica the persistence of this dictatorship can be partly credited to Augustin Farabundo Marti, who forced the Salvadorian Communist Party (2017). Proving to be a catalyst for conflicts for years to come.

country of El Salvador is facing against youth violence. The differences between gang and non-

The Central American counties of the Northern Triangle: Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador are considered the most dangerous countries in the world that are not at war. The region is very unstable due to weak governments and gangs. The gangs in these countries rule the streets taking innocent lives, sex trafficking and rapimg women and children, while the government does little to stop them. The violence started at different times in these countries. In Honduras during the 1980s the right- winged rebel group, the Contras housed themselves in the country. El Salvador’s violence dates back to 1979 with the Civil war. This war was between the government’s military and the leftiest

Salvadoran immigration to the United States has been fairly recent, intensifying in the late 80’s and continuing today unabated. The movement has a profound significance for both countries. Salvadorans help make up the backbone of America by taking low paying jobs few others show interest in taking. They work long hours and send money back to family members in El Salvador. This cash flow is vital to sustaining the El Salvadoran economy and preserving peace in an area plagued by violence--- a goal long sought by policy makers in America beginning in the 1980s.

Despite the peace treaty, violence continues in El Salvador. Gang members terrorize the country, and it was considered as the murder capital of the world, with an average of 24 murders per day. Despite gang truce, the country still faces poverty, which transcend into violence.