The leading
Salvadoran gangs vowed to desist from violence, theft, extortions and other
crimes in a statement released to the media on April 23, 2015. Spokesmen of
various crime syndicates, including «MS 13» and «Barrio 18», offered the pledge
of as a “gift” to Archbishop Óscar A. Romero, set to be beatified in a month, and
as a sign of their conversion. “This is the gift we wish to make to
Archbishop Romero: our repentance and request for forgiveness to society for all
the damage caused,” the gangs’ message begins.
The gangs’
statement has yet to cause widespread gratitude and joy among Salvadorans,
because it is not yet clear whether the statement is anything more than a
cynical ploy. Equally importantly, the
populace is weary of efforts to rehabilitate the groups, preferring that authorities
get tough on crime. In their message, the gangs request support for a plan to rehabilitate and reinsert gang members into society. For its part, the
Salvadoran government has recently announced draconian measures to combat
crime, including the creation of elite rapid response battalions, reminiscent
of similar units that existed during El Salvador’s civil war (1980-1992). Business interests recently retained former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani to provide security recommendations to the country. His report is due in a few weeks.
Nevertheless,
the development shows how Romero’s beatification has the potential to have
profound societal ramifications in El Salvador.
And there is reason for hope: a previous gang truce with equivocal support from the
Church and the government led to a dramatic reduction in the homicide rate from
2012 to 2013.
Perhaps the
Salvadoran Church can seize the moment to accompany the youth groups in a path
to real conversion. If so, Romero’s beatification
can be the transformational moment the Church has dreamed it can be.
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