MS-13: Mara Salvatrucha
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| MS-13: Mara Salvatrucha by Allen Corporan New York University Adolescent Development Spring 2007 |
| The MS-13 gang, aka Mara Salvatrucha 13, is one of the most violently dangerous gangs in the United States - and one of the most organized. The MS-13 gang has cliques, or factions, located throughout the United States and is unique in that it retains is ties to its El Salvador counterparts. With cliques in Washington DC, Oregon, Alaska, Arkansas, Texas, Nevada, Utah, Oklahoma, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Maryland, Virginia, Georgia, Florida, Canada, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, and several other South American countries, the MS-13 gang is truly "international" and on the verge of becoming the first gang to be categorized as an "organized crime" entity. MS-13 Gang member shows his tattoos. Gang members, who sport numerous tattoos on their bodies and faces, wear blue and white colors taken from the El Salvadoran flag. Their membership is estimated to total over 36,000 in the Honduras alone. Members typically range in age from 11 to 40 years old. Their progressive increase in violent activities and careless disregard for the law (threats and attacks against law enforcement officials is common), has made them the most feared gang in the United States. MS-13 criminal activities include drug smuggling, gun running, people smuggling, hits for hire, theft, drug sales, arson, and of course, strong arming the locals. Their wide-ranging activities and elevated status has even caught the eye of the FBI who recently initiated wide-scale raids against known and suspected gang members netting hundreds of arrests across the country. Their penchant for violence is renowned. Members often arrive in the United States with fighting skills gained in military training and are particularly adept with machetes. In March 2004, the Maldon Institute, a Washington DC based think tank, released a report detailing the violent methods MS-13 used, including their increasingly typical (and disturbing) calling card. MS-13 often leaves behind dismembered corpses, complete with the decapitated head, at the scene of their murders. Often a grim note is attached to the body. |
| Like many gangs, MS-13 was named after "La Mara", a street in El Salvador and "13th Street" in Los Angeles. The gang originated in El Salvador and initially consisted of violent guerillas who fought in El Salvador's civil war. As the war neared its end, the gang moved operations into the nearby Honduras. In the Honduras, where membership topped 36,000, the gang rose to such power that the Honduran government instigated a crackdown on all gangs and even passed a law aimed specifically at busting up gangs and organized crime. Code named "Strong Arm", the Honduran government arrested more than 4,000 gang members in 2003, often solely because they wore tattoos or colors of known gangs. Under Honduran law, gang members can receive up to 12 years in prison if they are a leader of a local clique and up to 9 years for simply being a member of a gang. The recent Honduran gang law amendments enraged the MS-13 group. They carried out their revenge in 2002 in the form of a slaughter that took place on the outskirts of the city of Tegucigalpa. A car carrying two men armed with AK-47s and M-16 automatic weapons, cut off a public bus forcing it to stop. The men quickly boarded the bus and opened fire on the passengers killing 28 people including 7 small children. They left a slang-ridden message, written on a red poster board and weighted down with rocks, on the hood of the bus. When MS-13 subsequently felt excessive pressure in Honduras, they promptly migrated to Mexico. This pattern continued in Mexico and in early 2004, the Mexican government began a campaign to eradicate MS-13. Authorities arrested 300 gang members in response to what they called "a threat to National security". Arrestees were charged with drug trafficking and smuggling of firearms across Mexico and Central America. MS13 Tags on wallThe Mara Salvatrucha gang moved into the Los Angeles area in the late 1980's as immigrants from El Salvador began arriving in the city. The early Los Angeles MS-13 gangs sought to protect El Salvadorian immigrants from the ruthless LA gangs. As with many gangs who's original intent was to protect others, the gang soon came to prey upon the Salvadorian community themselves. Once profits were recognized, Mara Salvatrucha cliques began to spread across the United States at an alarming rate. By the 1990's, MS-13's reach had spread across the country and had planted its roots deep on the East Coast. The early cliques located on the eastern coast were independent and not well organized. In the early 2000's, the gang hierarchy changed radically when leadership for these newly unified units, came from as far away as California and El Salvador. Cells continued popping up all over the country. In Texas and the Rio Grande area, MS-13 has become particularly profitable. U.S. and Mexican authorities acknowledge that MS-13 has been heavily involved in drug smuggling and human trafficking operations. They estimate that there are over 200 active cells (cells are groups of at least 20 members) operating in the states that border Mexico. Rumors abound concerning high-profile terrorist organizations contacting MS-13 for assistance in crossing borders in these areas. |
| In the early 1980s a civil war erupted in El Salvador killing as estimated 100,000 people. In addition, it is estimated between one and two million people have immigrated to the United States as a result of the unstable environment in El Salvador. The first large population of El Salvadorian refuges settled in the Rampart area of Los Angeles. This influx of immigrants looking for low cost housing and employment was not readily welcomed by the Mexican-American population who were already residing in that area. The area was already plagued with gangs and crime. These immigrant Salvadorian youth and young adults were soon were victimized by local gangs. A group of Salvadorian immigrants created a new gang calling themselves Mara Salvatrucha also known as MS-13. It is believed they got their name from combining the name of “La Mara”, a violent street gang in El Salvador with Salvatruchas, a term used to denote members of the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front. This was a group of Salvadorian peasants trained as guerilla fighters. The “13” was added to pay homage to the California prison gang, the Mexican Mafia. Members of this newly formed gang soon engaged in violent criminal acts. They quickly became known as one of the most violent gangs in the area because many of their founding members had experience or training in guerilla warfare, thus gaining a level of sophistication that superseded their rivals. Various members of the newly formed MS-13 were soon arrested and deported back to El Salvador. All deportees were first housed in the Guezaltepeque Prison, in Northern El Salvador. Quickly and unexpectedly, Mara Salvatrucha flourished in the prison system and recruitment began on the streets in El Salvador, while the gang continued to grow in the United States as well. With little direction and opportunities, many Central American youth admired the Mara Salvatrucha deportees and wanted to learn more about their gang. One deportee reported that upon returning to his hometown, there were only he and two other MS-13 gang members. His said that the interest in MS-13 was so big, that over 40 kids asked to be initiated (which consists of a beating for 13 seconds) into the gang on one day alone. The gang soon became the largest gang in El Salvador and soon spread to the Honduras and Guatemala. Their rivals, although much smaller in number, are known as 18th Street or MS-18, another American born gang. Mara Salvatrucha has become Central America’s greatest problem. In addition to violent acts committed by the gang against citizens and gang rivalries, the gang has even engaged in organized violent acts against the government. In 1997 the son of Honduras President Ricardo Maduro was kidnapped and murdered by MS-13 members. MS-13 members have continued to taunt Central American government officials. Members also left a dismembered corpse with a note for the Honduras president that “more people will die… the next victims will be police and journalists.” In 2004, Guatemalan President Oscar Berger received a similar messages attached to the body of a dismembered man from MS-13 members. In 2002 in the city of Tegucigalpa in the Honduras, MS-13 members boarded a public bus and immediately executed 28 people including 7 small children. Again, they left a message written on the front of the bus taunting government officials. Honduras was the first Central American country to adopt strict anti-gang laws. As a result of MS-13, government officials enacted a law that makes it illegal to be an associate of a crime, in other words, if someone looked like a gang member, they were subject to arrest. El Salvador adopted a similar law calling it Mano Dura or Firm Hand. In 2004, El Salvador implemented Super Mano Dura, to strengthen elements of their existing laws. A suspect in violation of these laws could find themselves facing a 12-year prison sentence even if no crime had been committed. Having a gang tattoo was evidence enough. Of the new laws, former Honduran police commissioner, Maria Luisa Borjas, said, “They grab three or four young people wandering around and present them as suspects… blaming them for every single crime without justification.” After an increase in crime, Mexico began a campaign in 2004 to eradicate MS-13 when they arrested 300 members calling them a “threat to National security.” Over the past few years there has been numerous speculation and discussion regarding Central America’s death squads. The existence of death squads for political purposes has been a frequent occurrence in history. In El Salvador in the 1980s a vigilante group was identified known as Sombra Negra, or Black Shadow. They were extremely active in attempting to remove criminal elements from their society. It is believed that this group felt their judicial system was not apt at dealing with the nation’s problems, so they became what some would call “Self-appointed executioners of justice.” Compared to similar groups of years past, Sombra Negra receives little attention or mention from the media. This may be in part because they do not engage in massive executions, but instead kill their victims individually or in small groups. In addition their victims are almost exclusively gang members and other criminals and many Salvadorians support the idea of removing this undesirable element from their country. Although the El Salvadorian government officially denies all sponsorship and involvement in the activities of Sombra Negra, many civic rights groups have reported that the group is mostly comprised of off-duty police and military personnel who are attempting to cleanse their society of criminals and gang members. Although death squads have been active in other Central American countries, they appear to be most prevalent in El Salvador. However, in Honduras there have been incidents causing some to speculate that the government condones the random execution of gang members. Specifically, there have been two prisons which have caught fire which housed MS-13 gang members. The first killed over 61 inmates. In the last incident 103 MS-13 members were burned or died of smoke inhalation. Some survivors and human rights activist have blamed prison guards for the deaths stating most of the deaths could have been prevented. Many civic rights groups who monitor human rights in Central America have speculated possible government involvement in these incidents. Currently El Salvador has a murder rate of approximately 54 per every 100,000 people, while the United States murder rate is approximately 6 per every 100,000. With El Salvador’s high murder rate brings the speculation that most of their murders currently go unsolved and with little investigation. Coupled with the idea of death squads killing gang members would leave the assumption that El Salvadorian law enforcement officers would focus their resources towards the most serious of crimes—the killing of innocent persons, rather than the murders of hardened or speculated gang members. With this in mind, it would be common knowledge that individuals or groups could murder gang members or criminals with little chance of being identified by law enforcement. One news media reporter stated that they know of an MS-13 gang member who was deported. The MS-13 member used a cheese grater to scrape off the tattoos from his skin so he would not be discovered should he be stopped by Sombra Negra. In March of 2006 the United States Department of State found the El Salvadorian government generally respected the rights of its citizens, but human rights were undermined by widespread impunity, corruption among security forces and government authorities and a tremendous problem with gang violence. Some of the items mentioned include; excessive use of force and mistreatment of detainees, arbitrary arrest and detention, harsh prison conditions, inefficiency and corruption in the judicial system. Although all recent information indicates Sombra Negra is still active in El Salvador, the government has begun taking a proactive approach at alternative programs, such as implementing Mano Amiga or Plan Friendly Hand. This is a program for young people giving them treatment for substance abuse and social reinsertion. Many media groups have reported the case of Edward Guzman, an MS-13 member who left Guatemala to escape the gang lifestyle. Though only 14-years- old at the time, he was threatened with death by his fellow gang members if he attempted to quit the gang. He fled to the United States to escape the gang lifestyle. At the age of 16, on March 10, 2004, he was deported back to his home. He hid in his home for several days. His first day to venture out was March 20, 2004. He made it only 5 blocks where he was shot multiple times. It was believed he was killed as punishment for deserting the gang. Deported MS-13 members have difficulty leaving the gang. When they do return to their country they are held in a prison exclusively for MS-13 gang members until their cases are reviewed. Upon release even if they have a family support system, MS-13 members are expected to continue their membership in the gang. Failure to do so could result in punishment from the gang ranging from being physically assaulted by other members of the gang or by death. Despite death squads and increased laws pertaining to gang membership and activity, Central America is still seeing an increase in their gang population and problems. Although Sombra Negra activities have seemed to diminish since the 1980s, all information indicates that members and sympathizers still actively murder criminals and gang members. It has been reported of widespread corruption in El Salvador which only increases the possibility of this group existing and operating with little fear of reprisal from the government. As a result of the poor conditions in El Salvador, many MS-13 members have illegally immigrated to our nation where our law enforcement efforts and prisons seem tame when compared to their homeland. MS-13 members in our country are known to be involved in all aspects of criminal activity. Some law enforcement sources have reported that because of their ties to their former homeland, MS-13 members have access to sophisticated weapons thus making firearms trafficking one of their many criminal enterprises. Despite their access to weaponry, there have been many high-profile murders and assaults in which MS-13 have used machetes to attack their victims. The federal government has increased efforts to locate and deport illegal MS-13 members living in our nation but with the lack of cooperation from many cities whom support sanctuaries policies, has made the government’s job an uphill battle. |
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