Territorial Control Plan

Last updated

Territorial Control Plan
Plan Control Territorial
Location
El Salvador
Planned by Government of El Salvador
Date20 June 2019 – present
  • Phase one: began 20 June 2019
  • Phase two: began 2 July 2019
  • Phase three: began 1 August 2019
  • Phase four: began 19 July 2021
  • Phase five: began 23 November 2022
  • Phase six: began 15 September 2023
Executed by Salvadoran Armed Forces
National Civil Police
OutcomeOngoing

The Territorial Control Plan (Spanish: Plan Control Territorial, abbreviated PCT) is an ongoing Salvadoran security and anti-gang program. The program consists of six phases and a potential seventh phase if phases one through six are unsuccessful. [1] In 2019, the Salvadoran government estimated that the Territorial Control Plan would cost US$575.2 million in total. [2]

Contents

Background

Criminal gangs in El Salvador

A member of MS-13 with tattoos on his back depicting the coat of arms of El Salvador and the gang's name. MS-13 tattoo 2.jpg
A member of MS-13 with tattoos on his back depicting the coat of arms of El Salvador and the gang's name.

Criminal gangs have been a major problem in El Salvador since the conclusion of the Salvadoran Civil War in 1992. The country's most prominent gangs include Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), the 18th Street gang (Barrio 18), Mao Mao, Miranda Loca, and La Maquina, among others. [3] Most Salvadoran gangs were formed in the United States; some gangs, such as MS-13, were formed by refugees of the Salvadoran Civil War to protect themselves from Mexican American and African American gangs, [4] meanwhile, other gangs, such as Barrio 18, formed as splinter groups of other gangs. [5] Most gang members arrived in El Salvador after being deported from the United States following the passage of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996. [6]

Most crimes committed in the country since the end of the civil war have been committed by gangs. According to journalist C. Ramos, more violent deaths occurred during the 1990s than occurred during the civil war; During the 1960s and 1970s, the country's homicide rate was 30 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, meanwhile, from 1994 to 1997, the rate was 80 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants. [7] Other crimes committed by gangs include robbery, motor-vehicle theft, arms trafficking, drug trafficking, extortion, rape, and kidnapping. [8] During the early 2000s, the Salvadoran government estimated that between 50 and 60 percent of all crimes were committed by gangs. [7] In 2019, the Salvadoran government estimated that extortion accounts for 80 percent of the gangs' finances, accounting for 3 percent of the country's gross domestic product. [9] According to an opinion poll conducted by the Central American University during the 2000s, 20.8 percent of Salvadorans believed that gangs were the biggest problem facing the country. [7]

La Mano Dura

In July 2003, Salvadoran President Francisco Flores implemented anti-gang policies known as La Mano Dura (Spanish for "The Iron Fist") in an attempt to combat gang influence and lower the country's homicide rate. Flores' successor, Antonio Saca, increased the security policies and announced the beginning of Super Mano Dura ("Super Iron Fist"). [7] Methods employed by both policies to combat the gangs included joint patrols conducted by the National Civil Police (PNC) and the Armed Forces of El Salvador (FAES) of gang-controlled territories, random searches of suspected gang members, and arresting individuals who appear they could be gang members. [8] Both policies resulted in the arrests of around 4,000 gang members and resulted in prison overcrowding. [10] Saca's successor, Mauricio Funes, ended some policies of Super Mano Dura, such as mass raids of gang territory, in favor of pursuing criminal investigations. [8] In September 2010, the Legislative Assembly passed the Gang Prohibition Act which gang membership illegal and allowed the government to freeze bank accounts and seize assets of gang members. [11] In February 2012, Funes increased the militarization of the PNC and instituted a curfew to prevent gang members from being in the streets at night. [12]

2012–2014 gang truce

Salvadoran President Mauricio Funes, whose government negotiated a truce with the country's gang from 2012 to 2014. Mauricio Funes (Brasilia, May 2008).jpg
Salvadoran President Mauricio Funes, whose government negotiated a truce with the country's gang from 2012 to 2014.

In March 2012, the Salvadoran government, the Catholic Church, and the gangs agreed to a truce—known simply as the Gang Truce—to lower the country's homicide rate in exchange for concessions being granted to imprisoned gang members. The truce began when 30 imprisoned leaders of MS-13 and Barrio 18 were transferred from the Zacatecoluca maximum security prison to lower security prisons, which was then succeeded by what InSight Crime's Ramsey Geoffrey described as "the least violent day the country has seen in three years" when the police only registered two homicides. [13] The truce was negotiated by Bishop Fabio Colindres  [ es ], former deputy of the Legislative Assembly Raúl Mijango  [ es ], and Minister of Public Security David Munguía Payés, [14] however, the government denied that it had entered negotiations with the gangs; Funes that stated that "the government did not sit down to negotiate with gangs", Munguía stated that "the government of the republic is not at any time negotiating with any gang", and the police attributed the subsequent decrease in homicides to "improved coordination and intelligence". [13] [15] In the first 21 days of March 2012, the country recorded an average of 5 homicides per day, down from 14 homicides per day in both January and February 2012. [16]

In November 2012, as the truce began to fracture with a rise in homicides, Mijango and Colindres announced the implementation of "peace zones" where gangs would aim to eliminate all criminal activities, surrender their weapons, and make peace with rival gang members, in exchange for the police ending night-time anti-gang operations and the government implementing programs which provided work for gang members. [17] [18] By May 2013, the country had 19 peace zones, [19] but homicides continued to rise, [20] and in March 2013, the government stated that the truce was not working in some parts of the country. [21] In July 2013, La Prensa Gráfica reported that the gangs were prepared to end the truce and were stockpiling weapons and vehicles, [22] In March 2014, as homicides averaged 8 per day, PNC director Rigoberto Pleités stated that "the truce technically no longer exists, given the increase in homicides in the past months", [23] [24] and on 26 May 2014, four days before the end of his term as president, Funes stated "the truce has failed, not only because of the decision of those who agreed to it; it is because a state of opinion contrary to it was created; with this, I am not saying that the truce was necessary or the only option". By then, El Salvador averaged around 14 homicides per day. [25] In 2014 and 2015, the gangs offered to begin negotiations to restore the truce, but Funes' successor, Salvador Sánchez Cerén, refused to begin another truce. [26] [27] [28] According to an opinion poll conducted by the Technological University of El Salvador in August 2013, 47 percent of respondents believed the truce benefited the gangs. Additionally, 50 percent believed that the truce had not produced any results. [29]

In the subsequent years following the end of the truce, various government officials have been indicted for their roles in organizing the truce. In July 2020, Attorney General Raúl Melara issued an arrest warrant for Funes for his role in organizing the truce. Funes, who was in exile in Nicaragua, rejected Melara's announcement and denied any wrongdoing. [30] [31] [32] In November 2022 Attorney General Rodolfo Delgado ordered Funes to stand trial for allegedly "grant[ing] benefits to gang members who were in prison" and allegedly engaging in illicit association with the gangs. [33] Funes was tried tried in absentia between 26 April and 29 May 2023, during which, he was found guilty of all charges presented against him and he was sentenced to serve 14 years imprisonment—8 for illicit association and 6 for failure to perform his duties. [34] [35] Following his sentencing, Funes stated that "the sentence, insofar as it refers to me, is illegal, doesn't have legal foundation", claiming that the government failed to prove the charges against him. [36] In May 2016, Mijango was arrested for his role in the truce. [37] He was tried in August 2017 during the "Truce Trial" with 17 other defendants but was ultimately acquitted; [38] Prosecutors appealed the ruling and a new trial was held in May 2019 where he was again acquitted. [39] Mijango was ultimately sentenced to 13 years imprisonment in 2018 for charges unrelated to the truce [40] and died in prison in August 2023. [41] In July 2020, Munguía was arrested for his role in organizing the truce. [42] In May 2023, he was sentenced to serve 18 years imprisonment—8 years for illicit association, 6 years for failure to perform his duties, and 4 years for committing arbitrary actions. [43] Munguía described his sentencing was "a political condemnation" ("un condenado político"). [44] Colindres has not been arrested or charged for his role in negotiating the truce. [45]

Post-truce violence

In 2015, the country's homicide rate peaked at 104 homicides per 100,000 people for a total of 6,657 homicides, the most homicides recorded in El Salvador since 1983 during the civil war. [46] Due to the surge in homicides, on 25 August 2015, the Supreme Court officially designated both MS-13 and Barrio 18 as terrorist organizations, stating that both gangs were responsible for "systematic attacks on the lives, security, and personal integrity of the population". [47] As a result of the country's high homicide rate, El Salvador was often described in the media as the "world's deadliest peacetime country". [48] [49] [50]

Implementation

Phase one: "Preparation"

During the 2019 presidential election, Grand Alliance for National Unity candidate Nayib Bukele won 53 percent of the vote and was elected as the country's president, breaking the two-party system which had ruled the country since the end of the civil war, [51] and Bukele won in part due to voters hoping he would combat the country's gang violence. [52] In April 2019, two months before he took office, Bukele promised that his government would initiate a plan to combat crime. [53]

Soldiers in the Gerardo Barrios Plaza at the announcement of the Territorial Control Plan. Soldiers in the Gerardo Barrios Plaza.png
Soldiers in the Gerardo Barrios Plaza at the announcement of the Territorial Control Plan.

On 19 June 2019, Bukele announced that a security plan aimed at disrupting the finances of gangs in the country would be implemented at midnight. [54] He referred to the plan on Twitter as the "Territorial Control Project" ("Proyecto Control Territorial"). [55] At midnight on 20 June 2019, the Bukele announced the beginning of the plan, now known as the "Territorial Control Plan" (Plan Control Territorial"), in front of a crowd of personnel from both the PNC and the FAES at the Gerardo Barrios Plaza in central San Salvador, the country's largest and capital city. [56]

Mauricio Arriaza Chicas, the director of the PNC, stated that phase one—known as "preparation"—would be implemented in 12 of the country's 262 municipalities. Arriaza described the 12 municipalities selected—Apopa, Ciudad Delgado, Colón, Ilopango, Mejicanos, San Marcos, San Martín, San Miguel, San Salvador, Santa Ana, Santa Tecla, and Soyapango—as "practically [the] metropolitan area" ("prácticamente [la] área metropolitana"). Rogelio Rivas, the minister of justice and security, stated that phase one would be implemented in historic city centers; police and military personnel would be stationed in places where the gangs would collect extortion and rent money in an effort to disrupt the gangs' finances and to "send a message to the gangs" ("envían un mensaje a las pandillas"). Arriaza stated that 2,500 police officers of the PNC and 3,000 soldiers of the armed forces would be involved in phase one. [57] On 29 July 2019, 1,000 more soldiers were mobilized to implement phase one. [58] As a part of phase one, the government also instituted a state of emergency in the country's prisons. A total of 28 prisons were put on lockdown; no visitations were allowed, prisoners were confined to their cells or moved to more secure prisons, and all cellphone service around prisons was blocked. This state of emergency was lifted on 2 September 2019. In total, phase one cost the government US$31 million. [59]

Phase two: "Opportunity"

Bukele and his cabinet discussing phase two of the PCT. Nayib Bukele - Territorial Control Plan phase two.jpg
Bukele and his cabinet discussing phase two of the PCT.

On 2 July 2019, Bukele announced the beginning of phase two of the Territorial Control Plan. [60] Known as "opportunity", phase two sought to improve healthcare, promote education and scholarships, and build schools and sports centers in an effort to provide "alternative opportunities" for young Salvadorans and prevent them from joining gangs. The government estimated that the phase would cost US$158 million, but the government only managed to negotiate a US$91 million loan from the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) to fund phase two. [61]

Phase three: "Modernization"

On 1 August 2019, Bukele announced the beginning of phase three of the Territorial Control Plan. Known as "modernization", phase three sought to modernize the weapons and vehicles possessed by the country's security forces to more efficiently combat crime; [62] The phase demanded the issuance of new firearms, bulletproof vests, helmets, radios, night vision cameras, helicopters, and drones to the country's security forces. It also called for improved police patrols and police outposts. [63]

A line of soldiers inside the Legislative Assembly on 9 February 2020 Soldiers in the Legislative Assembly.png
A line of soldiers inside the Legislative Assembly on 9 February 2020

In October 2019, the CABEI agreed to give the Salvadoran government a US$109 million loan to finance phase three, and the South Korean government donated US$5.3 million to finance the phase. On 30 January 2020, the Legislative Assembly voted against approving the US$109 million loan from the CABEI. The two largest political parties—the Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA) and the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN)—both voted against its approval, questioning the effectiveness of the Territorial Control Plan and demanding more transparency in where the money would be allocated. [61] [64] In response, on 6 February 2020, Bukele invoked article 167 of the country's constitution, ordering an extraordinary session of the Legislative Assembly to convene on 9 February 2020 to approve the loan from the CABEI. [65] When the extraordinary session convened, Bukele entered the Legislative Assembly accompanied by 40 soldiers, however, less than half of the legislature's members attended the session and the loan was not approved. [66] Mario Ponce, the president of the Legislative Assembly, described the incident as an "attempted coup", to which Bukele responded by stating "if I was a dictator, I would have taken control of everything". [67]

On 18 February 2020, 1,400 more soldiers were mobilized to enforce the Territorial Control Plan in response to the Legislative Assembly's refusal to approve the loan from the CABEI. Bukele stated that "[w]e have to go out and work with or without resources" ("[t]enemos que salir y trabajar con o sin recursos"). [68]

Phase four: "Incursion"

On 19 July 2021, Bukele announced the beginning of phase four of the Territorial Control Plan. Known as "incursion", the phase consisted of the country's security forces directly entering territories with heavy gang influence where the security forces previously found difficult to enter or patrol. During the announcement, Bukele stated that "[a]ll those who are thinking about doing something should think about it multiple times before going to jail" ("[t]odos los que estén pensando en hacer algo, deben pensarlo varias veces antes de terminar en la cárcel") as a message to the gangs. [69]

Phase five: "Extraction"

On 23 November 2022, at a ceremony held in San Juan Opico, Bukele announced the beginning of phase five of the Territorial Control Plan. The phase, known as "extraction", sought to "surround large cities and extract the terrorists who are hiding within the communities, without giving them the slightest possibility of escape", and Bukele stated that that 200 police officers would be added to the 20,000 soldiers already patrolling the country's cities. [70]

External videos
Nuvola apps kaboodle.svg President Nayib Bukele touring the newly-built Terrorism Confinement Center.
Nuvola apps kaboodle.svg The February 2023 prisoner transfer
Nuvola apps kaboodle.svg The March 2023 prisoner transfer

In July 2022, Bukele had ordered the construction of a new prison with capacity for 40,000 inmates to hold individuals arrested during the gang crackdown and to relieve overcrowding in the country's other prisons. [71] [72] In February 2023, Bukele posted a video on Twitter of him and members of his cabinet touring the prison, named the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), prior to his opening. [73] Later that month, Bukele posted another video to Twitter showing the first 2,000 prisoners being transferred to CECOT, with the prisoners all with shaved heads and wearing only white gym shorts. [74] He posted another video showing a second prisoner transfer in March 2023. [75] According to an opinion poll conduced by CIESCA in March 2023, 96.4 percent of respondents supported the construction of CECOT while 3.6 percent opposed it. [76] As of 9 July 2023, CECOT has a population of over 12,500 inmates. [77]

Phase six: "Integration"

On 15 September 2023, during a speech celebrating the country's 202nd anniversary of its independence from Spain, Bukele announced the beginning of phase six of the Territorial Control Plan known as "integration". [78] To implement phase six, Bukele announced the formation of the National Department of Integration led by Alejandro Gutman, the president of the Forever Foundation. [79]

Bukele stated that US$30 million would be allocated annually to fund phase six. [80]

Potential phase seven

A seventh phase of the Territorial Control Plan is planned but its name and details have not been disclosed by the Salvadoran government. [1]

Effects and results

In July 2019, the first full month during which the Territorial Control Plan was in effect, the PNC recorded a total of 154 murders. The total of 154 homicides reportedly the country's second lowest monthly total in the 21st century, second only to April 2013 when 143 homicides were recorded, and almost half of the monthly average of around 300 homicides. [81] Additionally, the PNC registered zero homicides on 31 July 2019, the first time that had occurred since 13 January 2017 and only the eighth time it had occurred since 2000. [82] Bukele attributed the decrease in homicides to the Territorial Control Plan, adding that "we didn't expect the reduction [of homicides] to be so quick and so large". [81] Throughout 2021, the PNC recorded a total of 1,147 homicides. Throughout 2022, the PNC recorded a total of 496 homicides. [83] As of 11 September 2023, the PNC has recorded a total of 142 homicides in 2023. [84]

Within two months of the Territorial Control Plan being implemented, the PNC reported that it had arrested over 5,000 people. [59] As of 15 September 2023, over 72,000 people have been arrested during the gang crackdown, 7,000 of whom have since been released. [84]

Reactions

In August 2019, InSight Crime's Alex Papadovassilakis wrote that it was "far too early" to attribute the decrease in homicides up to that point to the Territorial Control Plan as Bukele had done, adding that the decrease came amidst a consistent trend of decreasing homicide figures which began in 2016. Papadovassilakis also wrote that there were concerns that the government would seek to "artificially reduce the country's homicide rate" by omitting homicides which occurred as a result of confrontations between gangs and the country's security forces. [81]

In July 2021, the Platform for Citizen Security described the Territorial Control Plan as more of an "advertising strategy" ("estrategia publicitaria") rather than a genuine security program. The group also voiced its concern regarding militarization, adding that militarization of the country's security forces was ruled as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of Justice in 2012. [85]

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References

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  19. ↑ Cawley, Marguerite (9 May 2013). "Spate of Killings Shakes El Salvador Gang Truce". InSight Crime . Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  20. ↑ Bargent, James (21 February 2023). "Is Uptick in Murders Eroding El Salvador Gang Truce?". InSight Crime . Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  21. ↑ Wells, Miriam (13 March 2013). "Gangs Unable to Enforce Truce in Eastern El Salvador". InSight Crime . Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  22. ↑ Bargent, James (8 July 2013). "El Salvador Gangs Offering Business Loans". InSight Crime . Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  23. ↑ Lohmuller, Michael (4 March 2014). "El Salvador Gang Truce 'Technically' Finished: Police". InSight Crime . Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  24. ↑ "Director PNC: "Tregua se Está Agotando"" [PNC Director: "The Truce is Failing"]. El Salvador.com (in Spanish). 3 March 2014. Archived from the original on 5 March 2014. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  25. ↑ "Presidente de El Salvador Reconoce Fracaso de Tregua Entre Pandillas" [The President of El Salvador Recognizes the Collapse of the Truce with the Gangs]. Univision (in Spanish). 26 May 2014. Archived from the original on 22 October 2014. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  26. ↑ "El Salvador Gangs Announce Re-Launch of 2012 Truce". BBC . 30 August 2014. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  27. ↑ Gagne, David (6 November 2014). "El Salvador Squashes Talk of Dialogue With Gangs". InSight Crime . Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  28. ↑ Tabory, Sam (17 July 2015). "El Salvador Gangs Call for a Renewed Truce". InSight Crime . Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  29. ↑ Cowley, Marguerite (28 August 2013). "Gangs Gain Most from El Salvador Truce: Opinion Poll". InSight Crime . Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  30. ↑ Silva Ávalos, Héctor (28 July 2020). "El Salvador Arrests General Behind 2012 Gang Truce". InSight Crime . Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  31. ↑ Funes, Mauricio [@FunesCartagena] (26 July 2020). "Los fiscales dejan mucho que desear. Hoy resulta que me acusan de los delitos de negociaciones ilícitas y de incumplimiento de deberes por haber sido "facilitador" de la tregua. Entonces con quién negocié y qué dejé de hacer?" [The prosecutors leave a lot to be desired. Today, it turns out that they accuse me of the crimes of illegal negotiations and breach of duty for having been a "facilitator" of the truce. So who did I negotiate with and what did I stop doing?] (Tweet) (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 27 July 2020. Retrieved 23 September 2023– via Twitter.
  32. ↑ Daugherty, Arron (8 February 2016). "Former El Salvador President Denies Giving Perks to Gangs". InSight Crime . Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  33. ↑ Genoves, Alessia (30 November 2022). "Mauricio Funes Rebelde y Juzgado en Caso Tregua con Pandillas". Contra Punto (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  34. ↑ Alemán, Marcos (26 April 2023). "El Salvador Tries Ex-Leader Funes In Absentia for Gang Truce". The Washington Post . San Salvador, El Salvador . Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  35. ↑ "Former El Salvador President Mauricio Funes Sentenced to 14 Years Over Gang Negotiation". TheJournal.ie . 29 May 2023. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  36. ↑ Alemán, Marcos (30 May 2023). "Ex-El Salvador President Mauricio Funes Sentenced to 14 Years for Negotiating with Gangs". Associated Press . San Salvador, El Salvador . Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  37. ↑ Arce, Alberto (20 May 2016). "El Salvador Throws Out Gang Truce and Officials Who Put It in Place". The New York Times . San Salvador, El Salvador . Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  38. ↑ Cidón Kiernan, María (1 September 2017). "All Suspects Acquitted in El Salvador Gang Truce Trial". InSight Crime . Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  39. ↑ Marroquín, David (31 May 2019). "Fiscalía Pierde por Segunda Ocasión el juicio en el Caso Conocido como Tregua" [Attorney General Fails a Second Time in the Judicial Case for the Truce]. El Diario de Hoy (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  40. ↑ Asmann, Parker; Robbins, Seth (7 February 2020). "El Salvador's Prosecutions of Officials Who Negotiated With Gangs Explained". InSight Crime . Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  41. ↑ Cornejo, Iliana; Cerón, Leonardo (28 August 2023). "Muere el Exmediador de la Tregua con Pandillas, Raúl Mijango" [Ex-Mediator of the Gang Truce, Raúl Mijango, Dies]. El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  42. ↑ Renteria, Nelson (23 July 2020). "Ex-Salvadoran Defense Minister Arrested for Suspected Role in Gang Truce". Reuters . San Salvador, El Salvador . Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  43. ↑ Cerón, Leonardo (29 May 2023). "Condenan a Funes y Munguía Payés por la Tregua" [Funes and Munguía Payés are Condemned for the Truce]. El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  44. ↑ Cerón, Leonardo (29 May 2023). "Munguía Payés dice es "un Condenado Político" Tras ser Declarado Culpable en el Caso Tregua" [Munguía Payés Says its "a Political Condemnation" After He was Declared Liable in the Truce Case]. El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  45. ↑ Aguilar, Luis (29 July 2020). "El Problema de no Vincular al Padre Colindres con la Tregua" [The Problem of Not Linking Father Colindres to the Truce]. Revista Factum (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  46. ↑ Reed, Betsy (4 January 2016). "Violent Deaths in El Salvador Spiked 70% in 2015, Figures Reveal". The Guardian . Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  47. ↑ Delcid, Merlid (25 August 2015). "El Salvador Declara como Grupos Terroristas a las Pandillas" [El Salvador Declares Gangs as Terrorist Groups]. CNN en Español (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  48. ↑ Buncombe, Andrew (3 June 2016). "El Salvador: Inside the World's Deadliest Peacetime Country". The Independent . San Salvador, El Salvador . Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  49. ↑ Alarcón, Daniel (4 August 2015). "The Executioners of El Salvador". The New Yorker . Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  50. ↑ Maslin, Sarah Esther (21 November 2016). "A Light in the Underworld". Columbia Journalism Review . Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  51. ↑ Gonzalez, Elizabeth (4 February 2019). "Bukele Breaks El Salvador's Two-Party Hold on Power". AS/COA . Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  52. ↑ Palumbo, Gene; Malkin, Elisabeth (3 February 2019). "Nayib Bukele, an Outsider Candidate, Claims Victory in El Salvador Election". The New York Times . San Salvador, El Salvador . Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  53. ↑ Silva Ávalos, Héctor (21 June 2019). "El Salvador Flirts with 'Mano Dura' Security Policies Again". InSight Crime . Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  54. ↑ Pacheco, Melissa (19 June 2019). "Gobierno Anuncia Plan para Atacar Finanzas de Maras" [Government Announces Plan to Attack the Gangs' Finances]. La Prensa Gráfica (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  55. ↑ Calderón, Beatriz (19 June 2019). ""Proyecto Control Territorial" Arrancará a Medianoche: Prometen "Devolver la Seguridad" a El Salvador con Plan" ["Territorial Control Project" Will Begin at Midnight: They Promise to "Return Security" to El Salvador with the Plan]. La Prensa Gráfica (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  56. ↑ Gómez, René (20 June 2023). "Plan de Control Territorial Inicia en Centro Histórico de San Salvador" [The Territorial Control Plan Begins in the Historic Center of San Salvador]. La Prensa Gráfica (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  57. ↑ Calderón, Beatriz; Alemán, Francisco (20 June 2019). "Lo Que se Sabe del "Plan Control Territorial" Implementado este Jueves por el Gobierno" [What Is Known About the "Territorial Control Plan" Implemented this Thursday by the Government]. La Prensa Gráfica (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  58. ↑ Arévalo, Mariana (29 July 2019). "El Salvador Suma Hoy a 1,000 Nuevos Militares al Plan de Seguridad" [El Salvador Adds 1,000 New Soldiers to the Security Plan Today]. La Prensa Gráfica (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  59. 1 2 Nagovitch, Paola (9 September 2019). "El Salvador's Nayib Bukele Marks 100 Days in Office". AS/COA . Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  60. ↑ Gómez, René (15 September 2023). "Presidente Bukele Lanza la Segunda Fase del Plan de Control Territorial, Denominada "Oportunidad"" [President Bukele Begins the Second Phase of the Territorial Control Plan, Named "Opportunity"]. La Prensa Gráfica (in Spanish).
  61. 1 2 Nagovitch, Paola (13 February 2020). "Explainer: Nayib Bukele's Territorial Control Plan". AS/COA . Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  62. ↑ Campos Madrid, Gabriel (1 August 2023). "Bukele Presentó Fase III del Plan Control Territorial" [Bukele Presented Phase III of the Territorial Control Plan]. La Prensa Gráfica (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  63. ↑ Rivera, Ana (2020). "Cubos como Parte del Plan Control Territorial" [Cubos as a Part of the Territorial Control Plan](PDF). Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (in Spanish). El Salvador. pp. 1–2. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  64. ↑ "El Salvador: Ejecutivo y Legislativo Enfrentados por Crédito" [El Salvador: Executive and Legislature Confronted Over Credit]. DW News (in Spanish). 8 February 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  65. ↑ Vivanco, José Miguel (14 February 2020). "President Bukele, Brute Force Is Not the Way Forward for El Salvador". The New York Times . Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  66. ↑ García, Jacobo (10 February 2020). ""Si Fuera un Dictador Habría Tomado el Control de Todo el Gobierno Anoche"" ["If I was a Dictator, I Would Have Taken Control of the Entire Government Last Night"]. El País (in Spanish). Mexico. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  67. ↑ "El Salvador Parliament Denounces President's "Attempted Coup"". BBC . 11 February 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  68. ↑ Delcid, Merlin (19 February 2020). "Gobierno Suma 1,400 Soldados a Plan Control Territorial y Lanza Nuevas Críticas a Diputados" [Government Adds 1,400 Soldiers to the Territorial Control Plan and Launches New Criticism Towards Deputies]. CNN en Español (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  69. ↑ Alvarado, Irvin (19 July 2021). "Bukele Retoma Disposiciones de Gestión Funes al Reforzar Plan Control Territorial con Militares" [Bukele Resumes Provisions from Funes' Government by Reinforcing the Territorial Control Plan with the Military]. La Prensa Gráfica (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  70. ↑ Arbaiza, Gerardo (23 November 2022). Alire Garcia, David; Fahmy, Miral (eds.). "El Salvador's Bukele Scales Up Anti-Gang Push with New Deployments". Reuters . San Salvador, El Salvador . Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  71. ↑ Agren, David (23 August 2022). Written at Mexico City. "El Salvador Builds 40,000-Inmate Mega-Prison in "War Against Gangs"" . Financial Times . London. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  72. ↑ Rodríguez, Milton (2 February 2022). "Cristosal: Bukele le Apuesta a la Megacárcel y no a la Prevención del Delito" [Cristosal: Bukele Bets on the Mega Prison and Not on Crime Prevention]. El Diario de Hoy (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  73. ↑ Romero, Fátima (1 February 2023). "Bukele Presenta "la Cárcel más Grande de América" para 40,000 Reos" [Bukele Presents "the Biggest Prison in America" for 40,000 Inmates]. Bloomberg Línea (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  74. ↑ Quiej, Bessy (24 February 2023). "Videos | Presidente Nayib Bukele Confirma Envío de 2 Mil Pandilleros al CECOT" [Videos | President Nayib Bukele Confirms More than 2 Thousand Prisoners in CECOT]. La Página. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  75. ↑ "Second Group Of Prisoners Transferred To El Salvador Mega-Jail". Barron's . 15 March 2023. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  76. ↑ CIESCA CENTROAMERICA [@CIESCA_OFICIAL] (31 March 2023). "El 96.4% de la población salvadoreña aprueba la decisión del presidente @nayibbukele En la construcción de #CECOT" [96.4% of the Salvadoran population approves the president @nayibbukele's decision in the construction of #CECOT] (Tweet) (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 September 2023– via Twitter.
  77. ↑ Urbina, Javier; Portillo, Denni (12 September 2023). "Megapenal de Tecoluca Será Vigilado por Juzgados de Usulután y Cojutepeque" [Mega-Prison of Tecoluca Will Be Monitored by Courts in Usulután and Cojutepeque]. La Prensa Gráfica (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  78. ↑ Alberto, Fátima (15 September 2023). "Presidente Nayib Bukele Anunció la Fase 6 del Plan Control Territorial: Integración" [President Nayib Bukele Announced Phase 6 of the Territorial Control Plan]. La Noticia SV (in Spanish). San Salvador, El Salvador . Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  79. ↑ "Presidente Bukele Anuncia Sexta Etapa del Plan Control Territorial" [President Bukele Announces the Sixth Phase of the Territorial Control Plan]. La Prensa Gráfica (in Spanish). 15 September 2023. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  80. ↑ Magaña, Yolanda (15 September 2023). "Bukele Anuncia Fase 6 del Plan Control Territorial Llamada "Integración" con $30 Millones Anuales" [Bukele Announces Phase 6 of the Territorial Control Plan Named "Integration" with $30 Million Annually]. El Mundo (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  81. 1 2 3 Papadovassilakis, Alex (5 August 2019). "El Salvador's Peaceful Month Not Due to Bukele Security Plan". InSight Crime . Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  82. ↑ Miller, Corazon (2 August 2019). "El Salvador's New President Celebrates Country's First Day Without a Murder for Two Years". The Independent . Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  83. ↑ Renteria, Nelson (3 January 2023). "El Salvador Murders Plummet by Over Half in 2022 Amid Gang Crackdown". Reuters . Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  84. 1 2 Alemán, Marcos (16 September 2023). "El Salvador: Bukele Anuncia la Sexta Fase de Su Plan de Seguridad, Denominada "Integración"" [El Salvador: Bukele Announces Phase Six of His Security Plan, Named "Integration"]. Los Angeles Times (in Spanish). San Salvador, El Salvador.
  85. ↑ "Plan Control Territorial: Los Peligros de la Militarización para la Seguridad Ciudadana" [Territorial Control Plan: The Dangerous of Militarization for Citizen Security](PDF). Platform for Citizen Security (in Spanish). 26 July 2021. Retrieved 16 September 2023.

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