15/07/2026 13:22 - Internacionales
The fight against organized crime in El Salvador has reached a historic milestone. According to local media reports, on July 14, 2026, the unique open hearing against 485 alleged leaders of the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) concluded.
The process, carried out by the Sixth Court against Organized Crime in San Salvador, lasted over three months and revealed the devastating impact of this criminal organization. The Attorney General's Office (FGR) has requested the maximum penalty for all defendants, seeking to provide deep reparation to the thousands of victims affected during a decade of terror.
The deputy prosecutor against Organized Crime, Max Muñoz, detailed that the defendants face 47,000 imputations in total. Among the most serious crimes are 444 aggravated homicides, extortion, human trafficking, illicit drug trafficking, and arms trafficking.
One of the most alarming pieces of data from the trial was the revelation that the structure used 1,200 minors under 12 years old and exploited 638 women as trafficking victims for criminal activities. Additionally, the FGR requested civil reparation of 9 million dollars for the crime of aggravated extortion.
During the process, the operation of the system called 'open valves' was exposed. According to the prosecution, this mechanism consisted of authorizing specific periods in which gang members received directives from their leaders to execute murders against civilians, security agents, rival gang members, or people considered traitors.
To support these allegations, the Prosecutor's Office presented a monumental case file that includes more than 650 audios of calls attributed to the main leaders, 22,000 pages, police records, photo albums, autopsies, and about 300 certifications. The formation of 32 programs, 2 of them with operations abroad, and 230 'clicas' (local cells) distributed throughout the country was documented.
In line with this massive trial, the Attorney General's Office of El Salvador reported on July 10, 2026 the conviction of 97 members of the 'Francis Locos Salvatruchos' clic, from the Cabañas program. These criminals, who caused distress between 2012 and 2024 in the districts of San Isidro and Ilobasco, received sentences ranging from 25 to 60 years in prison.
The program runner, Víctor Alfonso Arias Rodas (alias 'Anormal' or 'Infierno'), was sentenced to 60 years. Other ranks such as 'homeboys', 'chequeos', and 'colaboradores' received sentences ranging from 25 to 45 years, demonstrating a comprehensive effort to dismantle all hierarchies of the gang.
What is MS-13? The Mara Salvatrucha is a transnational criminal organization that emerged in Los Angeles in the 1980s, initially composed of Central American immigrants. Over time, it expanded to El Salvador and other countries, becoming one of the most violent gangs in the world, structured into 'programs' and 'clicas' (local cells).
What is the 'unique open hearing'? It is a procedural figure incorporated after reforms to the Criminal Procedure Code approved during the state of exception in El Salvador. It allows for the mass trial of alleged members of criminal structures and keeps the process open to incorporate new defendants as investigations progress, optimizing judicial timelines.
The date on which the court will announce the verdict for the 485 leaders will be announced in the coming days, generating great expectation in Salvadoran society, which hopes for an exemplary sentence.
Alfredo S. Quiroga
