In El Salvador, criminal gangs are enforcing virus-related restrictions
In Brazil, drug traffickers are imposing and enforcing curfews in some of Rio de Janeiro’s favelas. In El Salvador, the three main gangs have threatened to punish those who do not respect the state curfew. They’re not alone. Since the beginning of the novel coronavirus pandemic, criminal organizations around the world have supplemented governments’ responses to limit the spread of the virus.
My research on public order and violence in El Salvador shows that in marginalized communities controlled by criminal gangs, gangs are uniquely positioned to enforce stay-at-home orders and curfews.
How local gangs came to control territory in El SalvadorAfter El Salvador’s civil war ended in 1992, local gangs spread in low-income and marginalized urban communities.… Seguir leyendo »