El Salvador’s #WarOnGangs: Risks and results

In late March, El Salvador’s criminal gangs spearheaded a killing spree that left 87 people dead over a weekend. In response, President Nayib Bukele imposed a state of exception and launched a #WarOnGangs that has jailed over 53,000 alleged gang members in six months, elevating the country’s prison population rate to the world’s highest. Homicides have virtually zeroed, contributing to maintaining Bukele’s sky-high popularity, but human rights groups have denounced countless violations and abuses.

What will the consequences of this popular and controversial strategy be?

Panel: Tiziano Breda, Crisis Group’s Analyst for Central America; Susan Cruz, Consultant; and Roberto Valencia, Journalist

Welcome: Ivan Briscoe, Crisis Group’s Director for Latin America and the Caribbean

Moderator: Renata Segura, Crisis Group’s Deputy-Director for Latin America and the Caribbean

The event will be in Spanish with simultaneous English translation and will be livestreamed on YouTube.

Click here to register on Zoom.