El Salvador gang trial reveals 1,200 minors used for crimes, including murder and trafficking

El Salvador's Attorney General's Office is nearing the conclusion of a major trial against 485 alleged leaders of the Mara Salvatrucha gang, presenting final arguments before the Sixth Anti-Organized Crime Court. Prosecutors are building their case to demonstrate the responsibility of the accused, who are believed to have directed criminal activities from both the streets and within penitentiaries.

During the proceedings, a shocking revelation emerged: the MS-13 gang in El Salvador allegedly utilized around 1,200 minors, some as young as 12 years old, to carry out serious offenses. These crimes reportedly include homicides, extortion, and human trafficking, according to evidence presented in the open hearing. The gang faces charges for 448 cases of aggravated homicide, aggravated extortion, illicit trafficking, firearms trafficking, illicit association, and rebellion.

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We will present the theory of the Organized Power Apparatus to demonstrate the responsibility of the high-ranking members.

The prosecution's case is supported by over 11,000 documents and certifications. Further details revealed the exploitation of at least 638 women, who were allegedly forced into prostitution to generate funds for the criminal organization. Authorities are employing an "organized power apparatus theory," drawing on international resolutions to hold accountable individuals who issue orders or authorize executions, often from behind bars.

Judges have admitted all documentary evidence presented by the prosecution. The case includes accusations of human trafficking and sexual exploitation, substantiated by official certificates, victim statements, and expert reports detailing the recruitment and abuse of minors and women. Prosecutors aim to demonstrate the gang's evolution and the control exerted by its leaders, some of whom were deported from the United States. The accused are linked to a staggering 47,427 crimes committed between 2012 and 2022.

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The evidence is sufficient for those accused to face thousands of years in prison.