El Salvador gang arrests top 30,000 in 50 days

AFP

El Salvador has arrested more than 30,000 suspected gang members since President Nayib Bukele in March launched his “war” on criminal groups terrorizing the country, police said on Monday.

Bukele announced a state of emergency in late March following a bloody weekend in which 87 people were killed in gang-related violence.

Since then, the police and military have been rounding up suspected gang members using emergency powers that have done away with the need for arrest warrants.

The small Central American country has also increased sentences for gang membership five-fold, to up to 45 years.

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The national civil police force said on Twitter that “536 terrorists were arrested on Sunday May 15, the date at which we reached 50 days since the beginning of the state of emergency.”

“The total number captured since the beginning of the war on gangs is 30,506.”

The wave of detentions is unprecedented in a country of 6.5 million people that has suffered decades of violent crime driven by powerful gangs such as Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and Barrio 18.

These gangs count some 70,000 members, and including the recent detentions about 46,000 of them are behind bars, according to authorities.

Rights groups have denounced the arrest of many minors with no gang links.

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Earlier this month, Vice President Felix Ulloa told representatives from the International Committee of the Red Cross that the arrests were necessary to fight the gangs.

“The Salvadoran state is assisted by Jus ad Bellum (Latin for ‘right to war’) to defend the people against gang criminal violence,” he said.

Jus ad bellum is an international set of criteria to be consulted before the use of armed force or resorting to war.

Nicaragua plummets to 172nd in RSF World Press Freedom Index

Nicaragua has been ranked 172nd in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index, compiled by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and released on Friday. The country now finds itself at the bottom of the global ranking, positioned just above Russia, Belarus, Cuba, and Venezuela.

“At the bottom of the Index, Nicaragua (172) becomes the country with the worst score in Latin America, even behind Cuba (165),” RSF stated in its annual report.

RSF warned that the Sandinista regime led by Daniel Ortega and his wife Rosario Murillo “has eradicated independent media, revoked the nationality of numerous journalists, and pushed hundreds into exile.”

Compared to 2024, Nicaragua dropped nine positions (from 163), among the 180 countries examined by the RSF ranking, which concluded that there is “no room for journalism” in the Central American nation.

Sports

Lautaro Martínez doubtful for UCL semifinal second leg after thigh injury

nter Milan captain Lautaro Martínez has suffered a muscle strain in his left thigh and will be evaluated on a day-to-day basis, the club announced Friday—just four days before the second leg of their UEFA Champions League semifinal against Barcelona.

The Argentine World Cup winner is now in serious doubt for the crucial match against the Catalan giants, after being substituted at halftime due to the issue during Wednesday’s 3-3 first-leg draw.

“Lautaro Martínez underwent a series of medical tests this morning (Friday),” read a statement from the Nerazzurri. “The Argentine forward has been diagnosed with a hamstring strain in his left thigh.”

“His condition will continue to be monitored daily,” the club added.

Central America

Guatemala sees road blockades amid protests against lawmaker pay hikes

At least 16 points are blocked in Guatemala on Monday by the Committee for the Development of Rural Communities (Codeca), which is protesting the salary increase for members of Congress. The lawmakers are set to receive their third paycheck since the salary adjustment was approved in November 2024.

Although the Congressional Board of Directors announced the suspension of the salary increase at the end of March through an official document, it was later stated that the measure must be ratified by the full legislative body, requiring the approval of at least 81 of the 160 members. No reversal of this decision has been made so far. The salary of lawmakers has risen from GTQ 29,150 ($3,784) to GTQ 66,300 ($8,607). Their third elevated salary will be issued on Monday, according to local media.

The 23 deputies from the Semilla party, with which Bernardo Arévalo won the presidency, did not vote in favor of the proposal when it was presented. However, reports suggest that this may have been part of a negotiation with the opposition to approve a reform to the Law Against Organized Crime, aimed at ending legal persecution against them, as reported by the media outlet República. “The government must remember that the people defended it and it must serve the people,” stated Codeca’s official post on X (formerly Twitter).

Other grievances raised by the protesters include the rising cost of basic goods, demands to halt water privatization, an end to forced evictions, and the resignation of Attorney General Consuelo Porras.

The Constitutional Court (CC) granted a provisional injunction on Sunday, ordering the government to allow free movement. While the court permitted the protest to proceed, it stated that the rights of the general public to mobility and access to commercial transport services should not be interrupted.