In El Salvador, prosecutors concluded their closing arguments in a mass trial involving 492 alleged members of the MS-13 gang. The court proceedings, which included high-ranking leaders of the organization, completed its final phase of testimony and arguments this week. The defendants faced various charges, including aggravated homicide, kidnapping, and illegal association.
The trial utilized remote technology, with many defendants appearing via video link from prison facilities. This mass judicial proceeding is part of a broader security campaign initiated by President Nayib Bukele's administration. Under a state of exception declared in 2022, the government has arrested over 80,000 individuals suspected of gang involvement, a policy that has reportedly reduced homicide rates but drawn scrutiny from human rights organizations regarding due process.
Defense attorneys argued that the prosecution lacked individual evidence for every defendant, while the Attorney General’s Office stated that the collective evidence proved the leadership's role in directing criminal activities across the country. The presiding judge has not yet set a date for the delivery of the final verdicts and sentencing.