Ex-El Salvador president sentenced to 14 years for negotiating with gangs
NBCAUG 2023
The once gang-ridden El Salvador has seen a significant plunge in gang-related violence, including homicides, since Bukele ordered emergency powers be used to repress organized crime over a year ago. Therefore, it's no surprise that lawmakers keep renewing the special powers each month, or that eight out of every ten Salvadorans approve the anti-gang measures.
Homicide rates and extortions have indeed fallen, meaning Bukele's hardline crackdown on gangs has won supporters at home and abroad despite ignoring basic rights and involving the arrest of lots of innocent people. History, however, has shown that this plunge is unsustainable, as "iron fist" drives in Latin America too often end poorly as they fail to tackle the root causes of violence and fuel resentment.