2024-02-10 03:33:05
– More than 400 gang leaders placed in pre-trial detention
Congress on Friday extended the state of emergency, which authorizes arrests without warrant and deployment of the army, in El Salvador.
Published today at 4:33 a.m.
For almost two years, the state of emergency has allowed the arrest of nearly 76,000 suspects in El Salvador.
AFP
A court in El Salvador on Friday ordered the continued pretrial detention until 2025 of 403 leaders of the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang, the same day Congress extended the state of emergency in the country.
“The evidence presented establishes the link of all these leaders with the MS structure, which is why the court ordered that all of them remain in pre-trial detention until 2025,” pending the prosecution presenting new evidence or strengthens evidence already presented, the Attorney General’s Office said on the social network X.
According to the prosecution, these MS-13 leaders are “linked” to 37,402 crimes committed between 2012 and 2022, including “29,416 aggravated homicides”. They also face 907 cases of disappearances, extortion, arms trafficking, human trafficking and rebellion.
“Abundant evidence”
The minimum sentence incurred “goes up to 95 years”, because “abundant evidence” of the crimes with which they are accused was presented at the hearing, the same source said.
The San Salvador Organized Crime Court, which led this virtual hearing for detainees spread across a dozen prisons, also ordered the capture of 89 other MS-13 leaders on the run and facing the same charges .
In total, 492 people are affected by this case. Among them are 24 managers of the higher structure, 215 middle managers and 253 regional managers.
“War once morest the gangs”
The Salvadoran parliament, where Nayib Bukele’s party, Nuevas ideas, holds the majority, approved on Friday a new extension of the state of emergency which authorizes arrests without warrant and deployment of the army.
“The extension of the emergency regime is approved,” declared Congress President Ernesto Castro, following indicating that it would be in force until March 11.
For almost two years, the state of emergency has allowed the arrest of nearly 76,000 suspects, most of them members of the MS-13 and Barrio 18 maras. Some 7,000 people unjustly arrested have been released.
The Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) on Friday formalized the broad re-election of President Nayib Bukele with 82.66% of the votes, following having completed the examination of the results of Sunday’s vote.
The ruling party, Nuevas Ideas, obtained 2.7 million votes, out of a total of 3.2 million votes in El Salvador and abroad, or 82.66% of the votes following the counting of 100% of the 8,644 polling stations, explained the president of the TSE, Dora Martinez, in a press release.
The FMLN candidate, heir to the Marxist guerrillas, Manuel Flores, came in second place with 6.25% of the votes. Joel Sanchez, of the right-wing Arena party, obtained 5.44%. The participation rate is “52.60%”, added the president of the TSE.
Did you find an error? Please report it to us.
1 comment
1707542543
#Salvador #gang #leaders #pretrial #detention
