El Salvador’s Bukele denies secret gang deals amid fresh allegations from criminal leaders

Allegations emerge that El Salvador's President Bukele made secret deals with gangs

Bukele’s administration denies accusations, highlights government's crackdown on gangs - Anadolu Ajansı

El Salvador’s Bukele denies secret gang deals amid fresh allegations from criminal leaders

El Salvador’s Bukele denies secret gang deals amid fresh allegations from criminal leaders

The relationship between Nayib Bukele and the Salvadoran gangs began long before his arrival in the presidency, returning to his candidacy for the Mayor of San Salvador with the FMLN party, as revealed by two former leaders of the Barrio 18 Revolutionary in an exclusive investigation by El Faro that exposes how the criminal structures became strategic allies of his political project. Carlos Cartagena, alias "Charli", a gang member who gained not…

A series of statements and testimonies revived the debate on the pacts with gangs in El Salvador, pointing directly to the traditional ARENA and FMLN parties as responsible for initiating and sustaining negotiations with criminal structures for political ends. In an interview recorded before his death, the former mayor of Ilopango, Salvador Ruano, spoke openly about meetings he himself facilitated with gang members, claiming that he did so along…

Carlos Cartagena “Charli” revealed for the digital newspaper El Faro how the Maras agreed with the president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, privileges and money to their imprisoned leaders in exchange for a reduction in homicides in the country. In the interview “Charli”, leader of a cell of the Revolutionary Barrio 18 faction, he relates that the relationship with the president began approximately in 2014 or 2015, when Bukele sought to be the ma…

Leaders From Barrio 18 they say they supported Bukele electorally in exchange for benefits. The Government responds with disqualifications, not with denials. SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador — Two historic leaders of the Barrio 18 gang they said in a revealing interview with El Faro that they played a role crucial in the political rise of Nayib Bukele, since his time in office from San Salvador to the presidency of the country. Statements revive suspic…