El Salvador has long been plagued with high homicide rates, making it one of the most violent countries in the world. Residents of areas traditionally controlled by gangs (maras) know this fear all too well. However, a year after the implementation of a state of exception, life in these areas has changed significantly. The sounds of gang members escaping police and running across rooftops have been replaced with children playing, street vendors, and families crossing invisible borders once established by the maras. People can feel a sense of freedom, and hope for a better future is emerging. But mixed feelings exist, and new fears have started to surface as reports of innocent people being detained emerge. While police celebrate their ability to do their job without fear of repercussions for their families, some feel that the authorities themselves are becoming a source of fear.
Several people shared their stories with RTVE.es, including Luisa, who moved with her family to a low-income area called Las Margaritas seven years ago. She is grateful for the work of the government in the area but believes that they are criminalizing poverty, with many innocent people being targeted, including her daughter, Emely. Authorities took Emely away on October 17th, accusing her of being the partner of a gang member and working for the Salvatrucha Mara. Luisa has not seen her daughter since and is worried about her welfare.
Rosa, who has lived in the Campanera neighborhood since she was a child, recalls how dangerous it was to leave her house alone when she was young. Now, joy fills the streets of her neighborhood, but the target was not to be happy. It was to survive. In the past, talking to a soldier was a risk, and residents had to keep quiet and stay out of the gangs’ way to survive. Ernesto, on the other hand, sees opportunities in the new situation. He has purchased a house in La Campanera, an area once abandoned due to the threat of the maras. As the authorities regain control, he sees this as an opportunity to own property in a previously unaffordable area.
Overall, life has changed in the areas once controlled by the Maras, but with new fears emerging, it is clear that this is only the beginning of a long road towards peace and security in El Salvador.