Despair mounts among Salvadoran families over the detention of their kin in a crackdown on gang activity
Since the launch of El Salvador's "war on gangs" in March 2022, over 88,000 people have been thrown in jail, according to recent reports. This aggressive crackdown, led by President Nayib Bukele, has sparked widespread controversy and concern, with many questioning the fairness of the justice system.
Bukele, who gained worldwide recognition in March when he took in nearly 250 Venezuelan migrants and incarcerated them for months, has been unapologetic about his hardline approach. He has blamed the prisoners' parents for not disciplining them when they were children.
However, last year, Bukele acknowledged that innocent people have been caught up in his "war" on gangs, announcing the release of 8,000 people. This admission, coupled with the fact that scant evidence exists that many of those detained are gang members, has led to calls for justice from families of the prisoners.
One such family is that of Juana Fuentes, whose 23-year-old son Nelson Antonio Fuentes has been held incommunicado since his arrest in April 2022. Juana has called for the authorities to investigate each case on its own merits, stating that whoever is guilty should pay, but the innocent "should be released."
Another concerned party is lawyer Felix Lopez, whose 27-year-old son was arrested in February. Lopez has expressed concern that mass trials violate the principle of "individualizing" criminal responsibility, a key tenet of a fair trial.
The prospect of mass trials has caused extreme anxiety among the families of prisoners due to the fear of one-size-fits-all sentences. This anxiety was heightened when, on August 15, the pre-trial detention of these individuals was extended for up to two more years. For some individuals, like Garcia, this extension feels like a death sentence due to uncertainty about their loved ones' fate.
Bukele has acknowledged the "terrible pain" of Salvadoran mothers whose sons have been imprisoned, but has rejected responsibility. The president's approach has, however, made him popular and a hero to US President Donald Trump.
The Central American human rights organization Cristosal has called the extended detentions "unjustifiable." Amnesty International, an international human rights organization, also called for the release of prisoners allegedly unjustly detained by President Bukele in 2022.
One such case is that of Ricardo Ernesto Martinez, 31, who was arrested on May 10, 2022. Despite prosecutors concluding two years ago that there was "insufficient evidence to proceed with the prosecution" of Martinez, prison authorities refused to release him.
This ongoing situation in El Salvador raises serious questions about the fairness of the justice system and the rights of the accused. As the "war on gangs" continues, it is crucial that each case is investigated thoroughly and that the innocent are not unfairly punished.
