After a national policeman was assassinated by gang members, President Nayib Bukele announced on Wednesday that 5,000 troops and 500 police had surrounded a town in the country’s northern region. About 70 kilometers (43 miles) to the north of the city, security forces have surrounded the town of Nueva Concepci3n in an effort to track down the killers and gather intelligence on the gang’s membership and ideology.
Bukele took to Twitter, stating that “They will pay dearly for the murder of our hero.” The president has been leading a campaign against El Salvador’s dominant street gangs since March 2022. After the gangs were accused of being behind 62 homicides on March 26, Bukele asked Congress to grant him expanded powers. A suspension of some fundamental rights is among the steps taken by the authorities, which were extended for the 14th time on Tuesday.
More than 68,500 alleged gang members and accomplices have been detained under emergency powers. This is not the first time a town has been closed off by security personnel. Last October, Comasagua was surrounded by 2,000 soldiers and police in search of suspects accused of a murder, who were later captured in two days. The government had also sent 10,000 soldiers and police to Soyapango in December to search for gang members.
Although homicides have decreased in the country, human rights organizations have condemned the heavy-handed measures and are calling on the government to adhere to due process. Despite this, the locals are moving back into formerly gang-controlled areas.
