At least 18 Salvadorans have died in police custody during gang crackdown

At least 18 individuals have died in police custody since El Salvador declared a state of emergency to crackdown on gang violence two months ago, human rights organization Amnesty International said on Thursday.

“Given the precarious prison conditions, there is a well-founded fear that the number of fatalities could increase in the following days,” the organization said in a statement.

On March 27, President Nayib Bukele declared a state of emergency to temporarily suspend constitutional protections after the country saw a dramatic rise in homicides. Over four days, 89 people were killed, compared to 79 in all of the month of February. 

Under the state of emergency, the Central American country also reformed the country’s penal code to increase jail time for gang members and try minors who are alleged gang members to be tried as adults.

Furthermore, the government also limited freedom of association and imposed prison sentences for any media outlets that reproduce gang messages.  

As part of the reforms to crackdown on gang members, Bukele also claimed that gang members in prison would face stricter punishments, including more food rationing, removing their beds, and placing them in confined quarters.

The measures have provoked criticism from several human rights organizations, who claim that the state of emergency does not respect human rights and the government is abusing its authority. 

"Whatever they say, whatever they do, whatever they write, they attack again and again, I tell you: They are not going to stop us. We have God and the Salvadoran people on our side," Bukele said on Wednesday about the criticism his government is facing. He added that the country is close to “winning the war against gangs.”