50,000 arrested in El Salvador's War on Gangs

Police in El Salvador have already arrested 50,000 criminals since Nayib Bukele's government launched the war on gangs in March of this year, supported by a state of emergency that was extended for the fifth time on Tuesday.

The state of emergency decree was first applied in March of this year. Since then, the country's Legislative Assembly has approved several extensions in order to combat crime. On Tuesday night, the 84-seat single-chamber Congress, with 66 votes in favor, approved, for the fifth time, an extension that will begin on August 20.

This system, which allows arrests without warrants, was put into place in response to an increase in homicides that claimed the lives of 87 people from March 25-27.

President Nayib Bukele has gone 77 days without a single homicide in El Salvador thanks to his policy against gangs, according to his administration. The President condemned the lack of media coverage concerning this news by journalists in the region.

Construction of a new prison

A few days ago, Bukele ordered a huge prison to be built in a rural area of the city of Tecoluca, in the middle of the country, where a total of 40,000 gang members will be transferred. According to official forecasts, the penitentiary should be ready before the end of this year.