Wednesday, August 1, 2012

El Salvador Gangs Call Truce


in El Salvador, where its two largest street gangs – “Calle 18″ and “Mara Salvatrucha” – have reached an unprecedented truce that authorities say has cut the homicide rate in half in just four months.
The relentless tit-for-tat murders between the two gangs made El Salvador the most murderous in the world last year after neighbouring Honduras, also ravaged by gang violence.

El Salvador Gangs Call Truce
1Policemen escort gang members of MS13 in Soyapango. 
El Salvador Gangs Call Truce
2A gang member of MS13 is presented to the media in Soyapango. STRINGER/REUTERS
El Salvador Gangs Call Truce
3Police officers are seen during a presentation of MS13 gang members in Soyapango. 
El Salvador Gangs Call Truce
4A policeman places handcuffs on a MS13 gang member after being presented to the media in Soyapango. 
El Salvador Gangs Call Truce
5Policeman places handcuffs on MS13 gang members after being presented to the media in Soyapango. 
El Salvador Gangs Call Truce
6Policemen escort gang members as they are presented to the media in Soyapango. 
El Salvador Gangs Call Truce
7Hooded gang members carry sacks with weapons to be handed over to authorities, as part of a truce between
 gangs in San Salvador. STRINGER/REUTERS
El Salvador Gangs Call Truce
8Army chaplain Colindres speaks next to Insulza, secretary general of the OAS, in front of weapons handed 
over by gang members as part of a truce between gangs in San Salvador. STRINGER/REUTERS
El Salvador Gangs Call Truce
9Inmate who is a gang member takes an improvised shower at a prison in Quezaltepeque. 
El Salvador Gangs Call Truce
10Gang members and inmates pose for a photograph at a prison in Quezaltepeque. STRINGER/REUTERS
El Salvador Gangs Call Truce
11Lock with a number engraved hangs on a gate separating areas between female and male inmates at a prison
 in Quetzaltepeque. STRINGER/REUTERS
El Salvador Gangs Call Truce
12Star with a bible verse reading Lord, give me strength, Isaiah 41:13 is pinned on a needle in male inmates 
area of a prison in Quezaltepeque. STRINGER/REUTERS
El Salvador Gangs Call Truce
13Couple both gang members and inmates kiss during a religious service at a prison in Quezaltepeque.
El Salvador Gangs Call Truce
14Gang member who is also an inmate flashes his gang's sign as he poses for a picture in a prison in 
Quezaltepeque.
El Salvador Gangs Call Truce
15Gang member who is also an inmate flashes his gang's sign as he poses for a picture in a prison in 
Quezaltepeque. 
El Salvador Gangs Call Truce
16Gang member who is also an inmate stands inside a prison in Quezaltepeque. STRINGER/REUTERS
El Salvador Gangs Call Truce
17Gang members who are also inmates boil water at a prison in Quezaltepeque. STRINGER/REUTERS
El Salvador Gangs Call Truce
18Gang member gets a haircut from a fellow inmate at a prison in Quezaltepeque. STRINGER/REUTERS
El Salvador Gangs Call Truce
19Gang member looks into a broken piece of mirror while getting a haircut by a fellow inmate at a prison in 
Quezaltepeque. STRINGER/REUTERS
El Salvador Gangs Call Truce
20Gang members who are also inmates pose for a photograph at a prison in Quezaltepeque. 
El Salvador Gangs Call Truce
21Gang member who is also an inmate holds a wooden cross he was given along with an image of the Virgin
 Mary during a religious service at a prison in Quezaltepeque. STRINGER/REUTERS
El Salvador Gangs Call Truce
22Couple both gang members and inmates share a moment during a religious service at a prison in
 Quezaltepeque. 
El Salvador Gangs Call Truce
23Victor Garcia alias The Duck from Calle 18 gang sits with his wife and daughter during a religious service
 at a prison in Quezaltepeque. STRINGER/REUTERS
El Salvador Gangs Call Truce
24A member of the Mara Salvatrucha gang receives communion from a priest at the prison of Ciudad Barrios. 

El Salvador Gangs Call Truce
25A member of the Mara Salvatrucha listens to priest at the prison of Ciudad Barrios. 
El Salvador Gangs Call Truce
26Members of the Mara Salvatrucha gang gather together at the prison of Ciudad Barrios.
El Salvador Gangs Call Truce
27A member of the 18th Street gang poses for a photo at the prison of Izalco. STRINGER /REUTERS
El Salvador Gangs Call Truce
28Army Chaplain Colindres shakes hands with a member of the 18th Street gang during a mass at the prison 
of Izalco. STRINGER /REUTERS
El Salvador Gangs Call Truce
29Members of the 18th Street gang attend a mass at the prison of Izalco. STRINGER /REUTERS
El Salvador Gangs Call Truce
30A member of the 18th Street gang attends a mass at the prison of Izalco. STRINGER /REUTERS
El Salvador Gangs Call Truce
31Army Chaplain Colindres conducts a mass for members of the 18th Street gang at the prison of Izalco. 

El Salvador Gangs Call Truce
32A noticeboard with pictures of a portion of the 620 members of the 18th Street gang held at the prison 
of Izalco is seen. STRINGER /REUTERS
El Salvador Gangs Call Truce
33Members of the 18th Street gang attend a mass at the prison of Izalco. STRINGER /REUTERS
El Salvador Gangs Call Truce
34Members of the gang Mara 18 stand in a prison in Izalco. STRINGER /REUTERS
El Salvador Gangs Call Truce
35Inmates who are members of a gang, stand inside the jail in Quetzaltepeque. STRINGER /REUTERS
El Salvador Gangs Call Truce
36Gang members walk inside the prison in Quetzaltepeque. 
El Salvador Gangs Call Truce
37A gang member and inmate stands behind the bars of a cell at the jail in Quetzaltepeque.
El Salvador Gangs Call Truce
38A hooded police officer stands near gang members inside the jail in Quetzaltepeque. 
El Salvador Gangs Call Truce
39A gang member and inmate poses for a photograph inside the jail in Quetzaltepeque.