El Salvador began a massive trial Thursday to prosecute nearly 500 alleged leaders of the Mara Salvatrucha gang for more than 37,000 crimes committed over a decade, the Central American nation's prosecutor's office said.
The deputy prosecutor against crime Max Muñoz said that they will be accused of homicide, disappearance of people, extortion, arms trafficking, human trafficking and democratic damage.
To hold the hearing, the Sixth Court against Organized Crime of San Salvador held the trial virtually, since the accused criminals are held in several prisons, including the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), the megaprison that inaugurated Bukele a year ago.
Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele has made the fight against crime a cornerstone of his administration.
He was re-elected on Sunday in a landslide, as his policies remain popular with voters despite concerns from human rights groups about violations committed during the arrest of some 76,000 people, often without due process. .
In January, Security Minister Gustavo Villatoro said a mass hearing would only be held for these alleged gang leaders, not lower-ranking members.
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