What real implications for the Mara Salvatrucha gang does it have to declare it as a terrorist organization and apply the law of foreign enemies “? Will it mean its mass disarticulation? Here we give you details.
One of the first executive actions of Donald Trump after assuming the presidency of the United States was to designate the Mara Salvatrucha or MS-13 gang as a foreign terrorist organization.
This decision was accompanied by a National Emergency Declarationjustifying that MS-13 and other criminal organizations, such as drug cartels, represent “an unusual and extraordinary threat to national security, foreign policy and the economy of the United States.”
But what real implications does this designation have for MS-13? How does it affect a structure that has already been considerably weakened in El Salvador, where the Exception regime Have you led to a massive disarticulation of its operations?
For analysts consulted by the Voice of America The designation mainly allows military, political and economic actions against the members of Mara Salvatrucha, as well as against its partners and accomplices outside the US territory.
“With this designation, Mr. Trump can act extraterritorially against the interests of the MS-13 outside the United States, against their structures, against whom they have associated, who have supported or continue supporting,” he explained to the Voathe political scientist Napoleon Campos who recalled that it has been that way as the United States has carried out military operations in Asia, the Middle East or Africa against organizations declared terrorists.
Although the designation allows US authorities to act outside their territory, the difference with other measures applied in the past is that now officers may act with less restrictions.
“The difference is that before they had to coordinate everything with the countries where they were going to operate, where they grabbed the Ranfleros (founders of the gang). Now it gives them some ease to operate with less restrictions, “added Douglas Farah, researcher and president of Ibi Consultants, a firm specialized in security, transnational crime and terrorism, based in A Washington, USA ..
The first thing that Trump dictates is “to invoke the law of foreign enemies” against the MS-13. This law gives the President the authority to take more severe measures against people or organizations identified as enemies in times of war or national emergency.
In this case, including Mara Salvatrucha in the law would grant the Government a stronger legal framework to confiscate the assets of any individual related to the gang.
In addition, the immediate deportation of its members or suspicious persons of association would be facilitated within the United States, while countries that receive financial or military support from the United States would face greater pressure to intensify their actions against MS-13, experts point out .
“If the gang is declared a terrorist, it will no longer have a grip in any country, as they become the objective of international research agencies and also the United States national defense agencies,” he added to the Voa Marvin Reyes, leader of a police movement in El Salvador, where the MS-13 settled for decades.
For Reyes, this designation can cause a massive disarticulation of the MS-13, as they will be persecuted regardless of where they are.
Other blows to the gang
This is not the first time that the United States seeks to hit MS-13.
In 2012, the gang was declared “International Criminal Organization” by the United States government.
In 2015, three years later, El Salvador classified the MS-13 as a “terrorist organization” in a context of extreme violence, in which the homicide rate rose to 105 per 100,000 inhabitants, making the country the country violent world.
In 2019, under the first Trump administration, the MS-13 became the main objective of the Vulcan Joint Task Force, a group made up of several federal agencies whose objective was to dismantle the MS-13.
Since 2020, the United States Department of Justice leads a case of terrorism against 27 leaders of the Mara Salvatrucha, including 14 founding members of the organization and others who have directed operations in the United States, Mexico and El Salvador.
This process arises in a context marked by controversies in the region, such as the release of gang leaders in El Salvador under alleged agreements with the authorities, prior to an exception regime, facts that for Farah have complicated international efforts to dismantle the Gang operation.
What is the current situation of the MS13?
The Mara Salvatrucha, considered one of the most violent and feared gangs in the world, emerged in the early 80's when Salvadoran migrants fleeing from the civil war in their country were established in cities such as Los Angeles, in the United States.
Then, the MS-13 focused on activities such as extortion and territorial confrontations until its influence grew expanding towards Mexico, Central America and other regions of Europe and the United States where they expanded their operations to drug trafficking, weapons, extortion and murders.
“The MS-13 has survived many stages, especially in Honduras where they are almost a cartel. They will not dismantle so easily,” said researcher Douglas Farah.
In countries such as El Salvador, the gang consolidated its power reaching entire communities through violence and fear until in 2022, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele implemented a Exception regime which resulted in an offensive against gangs.
More than 80,000 members and alleged collaborators were arrested, considerably weakening the operations of the MS-13 and their ability to exercise control in key territories.
Although this policy has been widely supported by Salvadoran public opinion, it has also been criticized for human rights violations and the lack of due process.
The MS-13 is not the only group that has been listed as a terrorist organization under the administration of Donald Trump.
Together with the Salvadoran gang, Mexican drug cartels have also been included, as well as the Aragua Train, a transnational criminal group from Venezuela that operates in several countries in Latin America.
The president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, spoke about it: “We all want to fight the drug cartels.” The United States “in their territory, we in our territory.”