El Salvador Decimated Gangs. But at What Cost?

El Salvador Decimated Gangs. But at What Cost...

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For 12 years, Pete Wells had his dream job: working as the chief restaurant critic for The New York Times. The job’s journalistic mission required Wells to eat out most nights and taste nearly everything on any given restaurant’s menu. He didn’t realize it at the time, but the ex ...  Show more

'The Interview': How Tragedy, Wealth and Trump Shaped JB Pritzker

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What’s it like inside El Salvador’s mega-jail?
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Rival gangs in El Salvador used to rule the streets. It was one of the most dangerous countries in the world, with a really high murder rate. But now its President claims it is one of the safest in the Western hemisphere. How did he do it? By creating a state of exception and arr ...  Show more

104 - El Salvador: The Price of Security
The Red Line

Once the murder capital of the world, El Salvador finds itself grappling with both gang violence and geopolitical shifts. Between 2013 and 2016, murder rates soared due to gang wars and systemic extortion. President Nayib Bukele, emerging from this tumult, removes the safety catc ...  Show more

El Salvador: The rise of the ‘world’s coolest dictator’
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Not long ago, the tiny nation of El Salvador had the highest murder rate in the world. Now, it has the highest incarceration rate. President Nayib Bukele – who has described himself as “the world’s coolest dictator” – has detained 70,000 gang suspects without trial. His suppor ...

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El Salvador's Gang Truce
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In one of the most violent countries on earth, peace has broken out. In March, a truce was brokered between El Salvador's two most violent street gangs; they agreed to stop killing each other. The Mara Salvatrucha and Barrio 18 are criminal outfits that trace their origins to Los ...  Show more