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Barrio 18 Leader Carlos Mojica Dies, Truce Architect

5/22/2026

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Story summary
  • Carlos Mojica died in a maximum-security prison in El Salvador.
  • Diagnosed in 2024 with kidney and liver problems and a suspected glioblastoma, he continued to direct Barrio 18 from prison by sending notes.
  • He brokered a 2012 truce with rival MS-13 that cut daily homicides from 14 to about five.
  • Since President Nayib Bukele took office in 2019, state-of-emergency crackdowns have split Barrio 18 into Sureños and Revolucionarios factions.