El Salvador schedules 600 gang trials, a bold crackdown on criminal networks
El Salvador Eyes 600 Mass Trials for Thousands Detained Without Charges
Background: A State of Emergency Has Left Over 80,000 People Hanging in Jail
- The government claims every detainee is a gang member, yet few have concrete evidence or a fair court process.
- Human rights groups argue some of the held individuals are innocent, but insufficient due‑process safeguards make the true status unclear.
Attorney General Rodolfo Delgado Announces Planned Trials
Delgado told a congressional security committee that roughly 300 prosecutors will present evidence in about 600 pending trials.
He also proposed amendments to the country’s organized‑crime law that could extend an already‑arbitrary, charge‑free detention period by up to three more years.
Key Points of the Proposed Law Changes
- The amendments would grant Delgado two additional years, with the possibility of a third, to file formal charges.
- Delgado emphasized that a judge would need a substantial amount of time before deciding on the fate of each case.
- Details on the start date of the trials or the specific crimes the detainees could face remain undisclosed.
The committee voted in favor of Delgado’s proposals, and the changes are expected to be approved by a congress dominated by President Bukele’s party on Friday.
President Bukele’s Hardline Gang‑Busting Has Earned Him Global Popularity
Bukele’s approach to El Salvador’s powerful gangs has propelled him to the top of domestic polls, despite growing concerns about authoritarian practices and arbitrary arrests.
He recently made headlines by imprisoning migrants from a mass deportation drive orchestrated by his U.S. ally, Donald Trump, in a maximum‑security facility where allegations of mistreatment have surfaced.
U.S. State Department Statement and Human Rights Concerns
The U.S. State Department reportedly declined to criticize El Salvador, noting “no credible reports of significant human rights abuses” and highlighting a historic low in crime.
Lawyer and human rights activist Ingrid Escobar warned that thousands of possibly innocent individuals have been thrown into jail.
“The innocent will pay for the guilty,” Escobar said, adding: “Even dead people will be convicted.”
