“El Largo” member of Mara 18 and his brother were assassinated the 2/10/09 at their parents' house, by members of Mara Salvatrucha.

Latin America has one of the highest homicide rates in the world for young adults 15-24. El Salvador has been classified by the United Nations (UN) as the country with more violent deaths in Latin America, figures that are certified by the Salvadoran authorities. Rate is 60 homicides per 100 thousand inhabitants, five times what the World Health Organization (WHO) considers epidemic.

In El Salvador and the general region, years of war have left deep scars, and violence is endemic. Some 400,000 firearms are still held in the country and are sold for next to nothing. Drugs and prostitution have spread along with the rapid liberalization of the economy, destroying the social fabric. In 2008 alone, 4000 homicides were reported in this country which has a population of only 5.8 million, an average of eleven deaths a day, and three-quarters of them are marero revenge killings. 

In the current electoral context the problem of violence and crime in the country has moved to the background, when in fact it continues on the agenda causing grief and pain in many Salvadorean families. In recent weeks the security authorities reported an increase in the wave of murders sweeping the country, so that every day 12 people are executed in different violent acts. In total 374 people died at the hands of criminals in January 2009.