Interviews monitor the investigation of The lighthouse which revealed in 2020 an alleged pact of Bukele With gangs for reduce homicides in exchange for money and privileges for their prison bosses, which has been denied by the president.
Carlos Cartagenaaka “Charli“, Leader of a faction cell Neighborhood revolutionaries 18, assured the newspaper that gangs They negotiatedthrough two collaborators of Bukele sanctioned by Washingtonthe support for this to be mayor first San Salvador From 2015 to 2018 and will reach the Presidency in 2019.
“75%, 80% are due to gangs,” he said Cartagena When asked about the triumph of Bukele For the brothers Óscar and Carlos Martínezjournalists The lighthouse that did the interviews last January, in a place they did not reveal.
Not to mention the newspaper, Bukelepopular for his war against gangs, said Friday in X that “A country in peace, without dead (…) is not profitable for the Oenegé of Human Rights, or for globalist means, ”which, according to him, lost” their business. “
A second ganglist interviewed, of lower rank than Cartagena In the Barrio 18 faction, he assured that gang members They threatened to the families in the neighborhoods they controled to vote for Bukele.
“If there was not that kind of pressure to the people, Nayib I would not have been anywhere (power), ”said the gang member, identified as Liro Manwho, unlike CartagenaHe didn’t show his face.
According to Cartagena and Liro Mancontacts with gangs were made by Carlos MarroquínDirector of the Government Program “Social fabric“, And Osiris Luna, Deputy Minister of Justice and general director of prisons of El Salvador.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zadcoyrhr70
Both officials They were sanctioned In 2021 by the then government of Joe Bidenwho accused them of participating in undercover negotiations with leaders of the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and Barrio 18.
According to alias “Charli“, Who when he was 16 starred in a documentary of the BBC Like a gang leader, the bands also helped the government to keep the population confined during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Bukeleaccording to CartagenaI had promised them “the War cessation“Between the security forces and the gangsbut after getting to power, the alleged pact broke.
After a weekend with 87 dead, Bukele in 2022 an exception regime under which about 86 thousand alleged gang members and collaborators without the court order, so it is criticized by groups of Human Rights.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uawt1f924xe
He president has recognized that some 8 thousand detainees They have been released by being innocent.