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El Salvador's Mass Trial of 490 MS-13 Members Begins

4/21/2026

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Story summary
  • El Salvador is conducting a mass trial of nearly 490 alleged MS-13 members charged with 47,000 crimes, including 29,000 murders from 2012 to 2022.
  • The trial is part of President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador's anti-gang campaign, launched after violence spiked in March 2022.
  • Critics, including Human Rights Watch, warn of due-process failures as many defendants have been imprisoned without charges, risking wrongful convictions.