Membreno 1
Sofia Membreno
Apollo English 4
Mr.Ward
November , 2022
Thug Life: Reasons For Joining Gangs In El Salvador
Every country in the world has different characteristics that define them; El Salvador can be
defined by the violence within its borders. With homicide rates alone, El Salvador is placed first as being
one of the most dangerous countries in the world (Published). Pandilleros or Gangs are what contribute to
a majority of the crime committed in El Salvador. After the Salvadoran Civil war, many fled to the states
but refugees were shortly deported after bringing gang culture with them. With a population of 6.5 million
individuals in El Salvador, about 500,000 will choose to live within a gang (Paarlberg). Due to monetary
needs, social status, and a sense of belonging, many Salvadorans decide to join a gang.
The Salvadoran Civil War left El Salvador lacking many resources and in more poverty than ever
before. Due to the poor conditions of El Salvador’s environment, the gangs became the immediate source
to provide financial support for many (“Ending). Extortion is one of the most common crimes committed
by these gang members. In the appropriate territories of each gang, the members will obtain revenue by
extorting it from civilians and local businesses who take residency there. In 2015, 25% of Salvadorans
reported that they have been a victim of extortion and at least 80% of small businesses in El Salvador
have claimed that they pay extortion fees to the gangs forcing some to close or go bankrupt. Gangs will
often recruit unemployed or out-of-school youth with the promise of providing monetary needs. 1 in
every 4 young men ranging from the ages of 15 and 29 that are not employed or in school are highly
vulnerable to gang involvement. Gang members will even go as far as to execute individuals or their
friends and family to accommodate for an overdue or insufficient payment placing the gang as a force not
to be wrecked with Salvadoran civilians (Thelwell).
Having the title of a gang member, whether that be MS 13 or 18th street, this title holds an
extreme capacity of power. With the lack of resources and police after the civil war, gangs took advantage
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of this time and claimed their power. Most members have claimed to have joined a gang at a young age
because of the promise of social acclaim and power (Thelwell). Pastor William Otious, brought in by one
of the founding members of MS 13, states, “I became a gang man so people would fear and respect me”.
Pastor William was only 11 years old when he joined the gang in 1990 but later in life chose God as a
way out. Gangs hold a great sense of power over their members as well. The reality for all members is
that there are only three ways out of the gang: prison, church, and death (djvlad). Around 85% of gang
members in El Salvador have thought about distancing themselves from gang life (Clavel). Even refugees
involved with gangs outside of El Salvador will rejoin gangs just to survive being killed by the gangs or
police once return to the country (djvlad). Within the borders of El Salvador, the gangs take control of
daily life in the neighborhoods of their territory using lots of violence. The gangs rely on extortion as a
way to become a kind of ruling developing the capacity to tax the population. The power gangs have in El
Salvador is even comparable to that of the government. It is reported the Salvadoran government has
made attempts to negotiate with the gangs to lower homicide rates. However, in 2012 homicide rates did
decrease by 53% due to a truce between the two biggest rival gangs, MS 13 and 18th street, but not
pursuit due to the lack of government involvement (Thelwell). Once again the gangs claimed their power
in El Salvador.
Gangs in El Salvador are a predictable outcome of a tragic environment. In a poor country lacking
resources, many Salvadorans will choose gang culture to fill an emotional need they lack. In the 1980s
MS-13, one of the biggest gangs in El Salvador was formed and made up of a group of bullied,
Salvadoran outcasts looking to create an environment where they belong (djvlad). Today gangs are mostly
made up of youth looking for the same promise of purpose and belonging that comes with being a part of
something, part of a gang. In an environment where one may be exposed to poverty, exclusion, and
marginality, most youths turn to gangs as their nearest group of support. Young people who are searching
for belonging and trying to respond to the questions surrounding their identity and purpose use the loyalty
and family of a gang to find their answers. This lack of support not only draws people in but also keeps
people in gangs. 70% of children who try to leave a gang but don't have another support system in place
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fail (TEDxTalks). Most people join a gang because they feel disconnected, alone, alienated, and are
looking to feel valued and have a purpose, however many soon realize the sense of self-esteem that a gang
provides is false. With no other resources put in place, the gangs seem to be the best option to provide this
need for belonging and purpose that so many desperately need at a young age causing the growth of so
many gangs in El Salvador.
Brought up by what LA culture influenced and a group of Salvadorans with needs, gangs were
formed in America and soon carried back to El Salvador bringing the violence with them (djvlad). In
2022 alone, more than 53,000 suspected gang members were arrested, doubling the number of people
held in the country. However, the violence continues to fluctuate with the absence of a permanent solution
to eliminate the gangs. Many risk factors associated with gang membership come with living in various
parts of El Salvador, including poverty, family disintegration or separation, neglect, violent domestic
environment, unemployment, and lack of educational and developmental opportunities. The presence of
one or more of these factors is enough to compel an individual to turn to gangs in hopes of finding
economic opportunities, social belonging, and a familial environment. Regardless of the reasons, these
young men are lacking support and turning to gangs–in turn, ruing lives. Something must be done.
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Works Cited
Clavel, Tristan. “Why It's so Hard to Leave El Salvador's Gangs: An Interview with José
Miguel Cruz.” InSight Crime, 19 Aug. 2020,
https://insightcrime.org/news/analysis/why-so-hard-leave-el-salvador-gangs-intervi
ew-jose-miguel-cruz/.
djvlad. “Gerardo Lopez on the History of MS-13 and His Experience as a Former Member
(Full Interview).” YouTube, YouTube, 3 Apr. 2020,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2FOJaH1Pac.
“Ending El Salvador's Cycle of Gang Violence.” United States Institute of Peace, 20 Oct.
2022,
https://www.usip.org/publications/2022/10/ending-el-salvadors-cycle-gang-violence
Paarlberg, Michael Ahn. “Analysis | Why El Salvador's Mass Arrests Won't Lower the Murder
Rate.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 13 July 2022,
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/07/11/bukele-el-salvador-homicides-gang
s-ms-13-barrio-18/.
Published by Statista Research Department, and Aug 5. “World's Most Dangerous
Countries by Murder Rate 2022.” Statista, 5 Aug. 2022,
https://www.statista.com/statistics/262963/ranking-the-20-countries-with-the-most-
murders-per-100-000-inhabitants/#:~:text=El%20Salvador%20saw%20a%20murd
er,and%20Cape%20Town%2C%20South%20Africa.
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TEDxTalks. “I Was an MS-13 Gang Member. Here's How I Got out. | Gerardo Lopez |
TEDxMileHigh.” YouTube, YouTube, 29 Aug. 2018,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qkSMkiGWdg.
Thelwell, Kim. “10 Facts about Gangs in El Salvador.” The Borgen Project, Kim Thelwell
Https://Borgenproject.org/Wp-Content/Uploads/Logo.jpg, 17 Dec. 2019,
https://borgenproject.org/10-facts-about-gangs-in-el-salvador/.
