What gang runs El Salvador?
Michael Henderson
Published Mar 04, 2026
What gang runs El Salvador?
There are an estimated 25,000 gang members at large in El Salvador; another 9,000 are in prison. The best-known gangs, called maras in colloquial Salvadoran Spanish, are Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and their rivals 18th Street; maras are hunted by death squads, including Sombra Negra.
What gang uses the number 18?
18th Street gang
18th Street gang members often identify themselves with the number 18 on their clothing and sporting clothing from sports teams such as the Duke Blue Devils, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Lakers and Las Vegas Raiders.
Where did 18th Street gang originate?
Los Angeles, CA
18th Street gang/Place founded
What cartels are in El Salvador?
Two of the main transport networks in El Salvador are the Perrones and Texis Cartel. The transportistas are not tied to a particular drug trafficking organizations. Their services are for hire to Colombian and Mexican cartels, including powerful Mexican groups like the Sinaloa Cartel and the Zetas.
How bad is El Salvador?
El Salvador has one of the highest crime rates in Latin America. Violence between gangs is common and targets are usually rival gang members or the military and police. Most visits to El Salvador are trouble-free but there have been isolated attacks on tourists including robberies, car-jackings and violent assaults.
When was the 18th Street gang formed?
18th Street gang/Founded
Can I live in El Salvador?
Anyone intending to stay in El Salvador for a period of time longer than 90 days must obtain a visa. In order to obtain a long term stay or permanent residency visa, foreigners must present the El Salvadorian embassy with a passport that has a minimum of six months validity left on it.
Is El Salvador rich or poor?
EL SALVADOR is one of the poorest countries in the western hemisphere, with low per capita income, chronic inflation, and high unemployment. The nation’s economy traditionally depends heavily on coffee, although today (2006) remittances from over 2,000,000 Salvadorans working abroad are a major source of income.
Who are the 14 families of El Salvador?
The Fourteen Families “las catorce familias” is a reference to the oligarchy which controlled most of the land and wealth in El Salvador during the 19th and 20th centuries with names including de Sola, Llach, Hill, Meza-Ayau, Duenas, Dalton, Guerrero, Regalado, Quinonez, and Salaverria.
What is the 18th Street gang called in El Salvador?
– El Salvador INFO. 18th street or Barrio 18 gang profile. This story originally appeared on InsightCrime.org on March 11, 2019. The 18th Street Gang, also known as “Barrio 18,” is one of the largest youth gangs in the Western Hemisphere.
What happened to the Barrio 18 in El Salvador?
Around 2005, the Barrio 18 in El Salvador suffered a rupture between some on the inside of prison and some on the outside. The result of the in-fighting was a split into two factions, the Revolutionaries and Sureños.
Who are the enemies of the 18th Street Gang?
18th street gang Allies and Enemies The Barrio 18 are fierce enemies with the MS13, and internal divisions among the group periodically flare into violence. The 18th street in El Salvador is divided into rival factions, the Revolutionaries and the Sureños. The gang also has a close relationship with the Mexican Mafia.
Who are the MS13 and Barrio 18?
The Barrio 18 are fierce enemies with the MS13, and internal divisions among the group periodically flare into violence. The 18th street in El Salvador is divided into rival factions, the Revolutionaries and the Sureños.
