Since its establishment at the end of March 2022, the exception regime in El Salvador has allowed the arrest of 87,088 people linked to gang structures, according to the latest report by the Ministry of Security.
This measure, extended 39 times, is part of the government strategy to dismantle criminal groups that for years generated violence and fear in various communities in the country. Among those captured are bosses and gang leaders, extortionists and homicides.
During this period, the authorities have seized 11,247 vehicles related to illegal activities, including cars, motorcycles, microbuses and taxi motorcycle. In addition, more than five million dollars have been seized in cash, 22,701 cell phones and 4,869 weapons of various types, such as guns, rifles, machine guns, shotguns and grenades.
The exception regime was implemented after a violent rebound that left 76 homicides in just two days, on March 25 and 26, 2022, and seeks to restore territorial control and citizen security.
In terms of narcotics, drugs valued at more than 1,181 million dollars have been confiscated, including 1,695 kg of marijuana, more than 46 tons of cocaine, crack, hashish, ecstasy, methamphetamines, marijuana and fentanyl plants.
Defense Minister René Merino Monroy has described the exception regime as the most efficient legal tool to combat insecurity in El Salvador, remembering that before implementation the gangs had absolute control in the streets.
A recent survey of the University Institute of Public Opinion (Iudop) of the José Simeón Cañas Central American University (UCA) revealed that 66.6 % of Salvadorans believe that the fight against crime is the main achievement of the government of President Nayib Bukele in his sixth year of management. This effort includes the Territorial Control Strategy, in force since 2019 and reinforced with the exception regime since March 2022.
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