Mass Trial of MS-13 Members Concludes in El Salvador

A three-month trial involving hundreds of alleged MS-13 gang members concluded in El Salvador. Prosecutors presented closing arguments and requested maximum sentences.

The trial focused on 485 members of the Mara Salvatrucha gang, known as MS-13. Charges included homicide, extortion, drug trafficking, arms dealing, and human trafficking.

Human rights groups criticized the trial, claiming it violated defendants’ rights under the country’s state of emergency. The emergency, enacted in March 2022, suspended certain constitutional rights. Many Salvadorans have been detained since its implementation.

“First, the police arrested thousands of people without investigation. Now, the courts are handing down mass convictions to hundreds without credible evidence or any real chance of defense,” stated Juan Pappier, Americas deputy director for Human Rights Watch.

The Public Prosecutor’s Office said the accused faced charges for 14,420 crimes, including 444 killings from 2012 to 2022. Maximum sentences sought could result in life imprisonment for some, along with $9 million in civil damages.

Prosecutors played audio recordings of calls attributed to gang leaders ordering crimes. The trial was conducted virtually, with defendants appearing via camera from the Terrorism Confinement Center.

The criminal code reform of July 2023 allowed collective trials for those detained under the state of emergency. More than 92,480 individuals linked to gangs have been imprisoned since then. President Nayib Bukele claimed 8,000 innocent people had been released.

Human rights organizations documented over 6,000 complaints of violations and arbitrary detentions, as well as 547 deaths in custody. Despite criticism, the emergency is popular among Salvadorans who support Bukele’s security measures.

This marks the second mass trial of gang members in the country. In November, 45 members of the Barrio 18 gang faced convictions for crimes including extortion and homicide.

Prominent MS-13 leaders on trial include Dionisio Arístides Umanzor Osorio, known as “El Sirra de Teclas,” Borromeo Henríquez Solórzano, “Diablito de Hollywood,” Carlos Tiberio Ramírez Valladares, “Snayder,” and César Antonio López Larios, aka “Greñas.”

Reporter Anna-Catherine Brigida contributed reporting from Mexico City.