El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele authorized police and the military on Sunday (April 26th) to use "lethal force" against gang members to quell the increased violence in this Central American country in the midst of a pandemic. Covid-19.
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El Salvador recorded 24 killings in a single day on Friday, the worst record since Bukele took office in June, prompting him to order the closure of several prisons housing gang members for 24 hours.
The president also said that their leaders would be sent to solitary confinement . “ No contact with the outside world. Stores will remain closed and all activities will be suspended until further notice, "Bukele wrote on Twitter shortly before midnight. “ The gang leaders will be placed in segregation. "
Late Sunday afternoon police recorded 29 more murders prompting Bukele to take even tougher action against gangs he said were taking advantage of the fact that security forces were busy containing the coronavirus epidemic. . "The police and the armed forces must give priority to safeguarding their lives, those of their loved ones and of honest citizens. The use of lethal force is permitted to defend oneself or to defend the lives of Salvadorans, " said Bukele. And the latter clarified that the state of “ maximum emergency ” would be applied.
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The government also rounded up rival gang members in shared cells this weekend to break the lines of communication between members of the same gang, and conducted searches in at least five prisons.
Some 12,862 gang members are incarcerated in El Salvador, according to prison authorities. Only a few years ago, Salvador, who had long been the victim of powerful street gangs, the "maras", had the highest homicide rate in the Americas. However, the murders have decreased considerably under Bukele and the Central American country has recorded in recent months several days without homicide. El Salvador has imposed some of the most stringent measures in the Americas to control the spread of the coronavirus.
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Some 12,862 gang members are incarcerated in El Salvador, according to prison authorities.
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