Calling a Truce in El Salvador
Over the past few months, something remarkable has happened in El Salvador: The homicide rate has abruptly and dramatically plummeted by 60 percent, thanks to a truce between the country’s two most powerful street gangs, Mara Salvatrucha (also known as “MS-13”) and Barrio 18. It is still unclear whether the Salvadoran government played a significant role in brokering the truce. But the swift and sudden drop in murders has caused a stir throughout Central America’s “northern triangle,” which has become the world’s most violent region.
Two questions immediately come to mind: How long will the Salvadoran truce last, and does it offer a practical model that neighboring governments should seek to replicate?
Regarding the first question, Salvadorans are holding their collective breath, desperately hoping that the truce will continue while remaining fearful that it could break down at any moment. We still don’t know what promises (if any) the government made to the gangs, and we still don’t know when (if ever) the gangs will suspend their aggressive extortion activities, which have paralyzed Salvadoran businesses and severely damaged the national economy.
What we do know is that MS-13 and Barrio 18 issued their historic declaration in mid-March, shortly after 30 or so prominent gang members were transferred from the maximum-security Zacatecoluca jail to more lenient facilities. President Mauricio Funes denies that his government made a quid-pro-quo arrangement with the gangs, but he has acknowledged that the prison transfer “facilitated” the subsequent truce. It appears that the key mediator between MS-13 and Barrio 18 was a Catholic bishop named Fabio Colindres, who does work in Salvadoran jails.
Within a month of the peace declaration, El Salvador experienced its first murder-free day since 2009, the year Funes took office. On May 2, the two gangs expanded their truce, agreeing (1) to make all Salvadoran schools “zones of peace” and (2) to cease “all involuntary recruitment of adults and children.” Once again, Bishop Colindres was the crucial intermediary.
Is any of this sustainable? There is good reason to be skeptical. MS-13 and Barrio 18 are transnational organizations involved in a multitude of illicit enterprises. The two maras (as they are known in Central America) cannot reasonably expect the Funes government to ignore their rampant extortion. Promising not to murder other gang members or forcibly recruit new foot soldiers does not — or at least should not — give the mafias a de facto license to engage in other illegal behavior. There is a real danger that the truce could weaken the rule of law if Salvadorans believe their government has made overly generous concessions to violent criminals.
Please tell me again how the war on drugs is going?
The war on drugs has NEVER been successful. Indeed, it has become much, much worse, where entire nations are NO longer safe for people to live! There must be a drastic change, and that change must come fast. The suffering of innocents must stop!
And Honduras has the highest murder rate on earth. Absolutely horrible.
Marijuana most certainly must be made LEGAL all over the world! Cigarettes and alcohol are legal. Why not marijuana? And most certainly, medical marijuana oil must be made available over the counter in all countries. Medical marijuana has been proven to heal cancer. People with cancer and other degenerative diseases must be able to purchase medical marijuana oil in their desperate attempt to regain their health!
Drugs are a horrible, horrible thing, but the problem is, because they are illegal, the excessively cruel and violent drug cartels are perpetrating massive killings and becoming incredibly wealthy off illegal drugs. Should we not be looking at legalizing the drugs in order to stop the terrible suffering and enormous killing that is being wrought in Honduras, El Salvador, Mexico and other countries? A nation’s people must be able to live in safety, and not in fear.
While not to say that, just everything which our dear “Linda Rivera” says–above–is wrong, rather, only point out something of her confused attempt at reasonable thought: “Drugs are a horrible, horrible thing, but the problem . . . .”, although she would make use of positive declaration, following with the universal negation and disjunctive “but”, immediately, she destroys her previous thrust, . . . kids(!), . . . oh well, . . .
Phillip:
You are against medical marijuana oil being made available for the many people with cancer and other degenerative diseases?
Phillip,
One thing is certain. Something must be done about this dreadful situation. Is legalizing hard drugs a good idea? Not really. What do we do? Do we adopt your idea?
There is also the frightening possibility that the horrors taking place in Mexico and Central America can spread to America and other countries. Something must be done and done DIFFERENTLY because we cannot allow entire nations to live in hell on earth.
Borrowing from what the great Abp. Trench left for us in days of yore, the tribal nations are composed of peoples who went so far as they might, to get away from the word and work of G0D and now, in these latter times it is for us of decent impulse in the civilized part of mankind, to share with and bring those prodigals back again, and, the very thing which their children now composing the third world nations, most desire, and concerning which for our remission, we shall be judged, . . .
In the nature of things, the gangs are of course, a complete frustration to those nations’ needs as well as equally, the needs attendant upon all of mankind’s united front for progress in decency.
And–it being fitting that, animals be prey to man that, man be not prey to them–as the lesser nations are to exist at the grace of the superior, I wonder about the strength and validity of arguments in contradiction to going into those Central Am nations–going through them–taking what identifying marks the gang members provide for themselves, photographing the iris’ say, of all, and killing the gang members on the spot–I mean, of course, declaring the gangs unlawful, and with the most dire consequence attendant thereto, . . . and which was somewhat the way in which Australian governance put cannibalism to an appropriate end in New Guinea, . . . a firm hand in rule, . . . not that, such would be possible, of course, . . . with the useless, wasteful and corrupt louts which we continue to find and elect from among our own, . . .
Mara Salvatrucha and 18th Street are territorial criminal enterprises, with a veneer of Satanism.
They fight over territory to extort innocent people and sell drugs. If they will make more money they will call a truce and divide up the country.
This does however not help the innocent bus drivers who must pay a portion of their profits to these termites who are eating their country alive.
They leaders in prison will not give up the power. They will go to war again the moment it will bring them more power and money.
Unvelievable that both gangs were started only 2 miles apart in Central Los Angeles. Back home in Rampart 18th Street runs the show and the Maras are a joke. 18th Street shotcallers wear dockers and polo shirts, are tattoo free, and grow their hair out. The freaks from MS13 put tattoos all over their faces and scowl for LA Times photogrophers. Little wonder who runs the neighborhood. I think I will write a book on what business people can learn from gangsters. From Al Capone to Whitey Bulger to the Mexican Mafia America loves their Gangsters.
The beautiful and brave Mexican teenagers are indeed, angels. May God protect these angels and protect all of the good people of Mexico!
WND.COM: Heaven and hell take on Mexican cartels
Exclusive: Marisa Martin spotlights artists standing up to violence
…spiritual activities of a small, evangelical church known as “Psalm 100″ with the words, “Our Father, free us from sin” on its wall.
Covered with silver or gold paint and costumed as angels, teenagers from this tiny evangelical church have been showing up at scenes of massacres, shootings and body dumps since 2010.
While police mop up blood and body parts, the teens solemnly stand guard and bear witness to the many tragedies. Targets of the “messenger angels” are “murderers and hit men” with invitations offered to “believe God and repent.” Corrupt police are counseled to seek God and do a better job….
http://www.wnd.com/2012/06/heaven-and-hell-take-on-mexican-cartels/
Linda you are correct.
The devil tricks us into thinking what we are doing is not wrong. This includes the narcos. They tell themselves that they are soldiers in a war, for survival. That they are earning money for their families, for their sick parents. I guess a pychologist would say that we rationalize our behaviour. I prefer the religious take on things.
The newsmedia in Mexico only covers the narco killings obliquely. They say that 10 bodies were found in a house in Barrrio Hidalgo. They do not ID the dead, nor do they say who killed them. The press are either of the payroll of the narcos or fear getting murdered by them.
It is absolutely horrible, and those evangelical kids are absolutely inspired by God in what they are doing. I am sure that some narcos have the remnants of a conscience.
My condolences to the many who had their loved ones murdered by the extremely barbaric, violent drug cartels, including the son of famous poet and novelist in Mexico, Javier Sicilia, who wrote his very last poem for his precious and innocent Juanelo:
“And the pain does not leave me
All we have is a world
For the silence of the just
Only for your silence and my silence, Juanelo.”
http://www.wnd.com/2012/06/heaven-and-hell-take-on-mexican-cartels/
Rest in eternal peace, the many innocent victims.
As for the terrible suffering and murders of innocents, no help will EVER be given by this administration who immorally SUPPLIED weapons to the violent, barbaric Mexican drug cartels. U.S. leaders don’t care about the murders of innocents.
The cartels work closely with Muslim terrorists, Hezbollah.
The following is just one of the many articles by PJMEDIA on this shocking crime against humanity:
PJMEDIA: Getting ‘Furious’ with Holder: GOPs Unload, Get Few Answers at Hearing
The attorney general couldn’t say when Agent Terry was killed, how many guns have been recovered, or how many Mexicans have died in “Fast and Furious,” but is confident that voter fraud isn’t bad enough to justify ID.
http://pjmedia.com/blog/getting-furious-with-holder-republicans-unload-get-few-answers-at-hearing/