A three-month mass trial involving hundreds of alleged members of the international criminal gang MS-13 concluded Wednesday in El Salvador, with prosecutors requesting maximum sentences. The proceedings targeted 485 individuals accused of charges including homicide, extortion, drug trafficking, and human trafficking.
The trial, which began under a state of emergency enacted in March 2022, has drawn criticism from human rights organizations concerned about potential infringements on defendants' rights. This state of emergency has led to the detention of tens of thousands of Salvadorans and suspended some constitutional rights.
According to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the defendants are implicated in a total of 14,420 crimes committed between 2012 and 2022, including 444 homicides. Prosecutors are seeking maximum sentences for each offense, which could result in life imprisonment for some and $9 million in civil damages collectively.
Prosecutors presented evidence alleging that MS-13, designated a foreign terrorist organization by the United States, exploited approximately 1,200 children and 638 women in its criminal activities. The gang is also accused of forming 32 groups, with two operating from outside El Salvador. During the hearings, audio recordings attributed to gang leaders, allegedly ordering killings and other crimes, were played.
The trial was conducted virtually, with defendants appearing via camera from the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), a mega-prison built by President Nayib Bukele's administration. The facility, where visits, recreation, and education are prohibited, also houses hundreds of migrants deported from the U.S.
A verdict is not immediately expected. El Salvador implemented collective trials for those detained under the state of emergency through a July 2023 reform of its criminal code, allowing grouping by gang affiliation or territory.
Since the state of emergency was imposed, officials report that over 92,480 individuals accused of gang affiliation or ties have been imprisoned. President Bukele has stated that 8,000 innocent individuals have been released. However, human rights organizations have documented over 6,000 complaints of human rights violations and arbitrary detentions, along with at least 547 deaths in custody.
Despite international criticism, Bukele's security approach remains popular domestically, with many Salvadorans expressing fatigue with gang violence and praising his efforts to improve safety.
This marks El Salvador's second mass gang trial. In November, 45 members of the Barrio 18 gang were convicted of crimes including extortion and homicide, with one leader receiving a 397-year sentence. Among the MS-13 leaders on trial are Dionisio Arístides Umanzor Osorio, known as “El Sirra de Teclas,” Borromeo Henríquez Solórzano, or “Diablito de Hollywood,” Carlos Tiberio Ramírez Valladares, known as “Snayder,” and César Antonio López Larios, or “Greñas.”