Death squads force curfew on Salvadoran town

By Juan Jose Dalton Sep 6, 2007, 11:01 GMT

Chalchuapa, El Salvador - A local death squad seemingly intent on curbing petty crime and gang activity is imposing its own curfew on a once-thriving El Salvadoran town.

The group in Chalchuapa identifies itself only with the initials EL, which many believe stand for the Spanish phrase 'escuadron de limpieza,' or 'clean-up squad.'

After dark, the group has distributed leaflets since August 18 calling for the curfew and even ordering police to return to their quarters.

'Chalchuapa will become safe since we are better equipped than the police. In the meantime, we recommend that you do not go out at night,' the EL said in one of its statements.

The town's homicide rate increased dramatically in August, though police have acknowledged only 17 killings, while local authorities claim there were 50.

Like other parts of El Salvador and Central American countries, Chalchuapa - located in a rich coffee-growing region 78 kilometres from the capital San Salvador - has fallen prey to criminal gangs. Known as maras, the gangs have sought pricey extortions from local businesses and street vendors.

Local police have denied the existence of the death squads, and the Salvadoran government has claimed people who want to destabilize the country are behind the EL.

However, residents and business owners in Chalchuapa say they obey the curfew because they do not want to run any risks. The curfew is effectively enforced after 7 pm, although the EL said it wanted to impose it after 10 pm.

A group of alleged members of maras sent a video to several media outlets, in which they asked the authorities for protection.

There are precedents of death squads in other parts of El Salvador - in particular in the eastern province of San Miguel. Groups calling themselves Sombra Negra in 1996 and XGN General Maximiliano Hernandez Martinez are thought responsible for the killings of up to 60 gang members in the region.

Only last weekend, a court jailed five police officers accused of being hired killers. They were suspected of having been hired by businessmen for operations of social cleansing.

'To say Chalchuapa now is to say fear. I am forced to come here because I earn my living selling candy. I have already been robbed on two occasions and they have taken my money and the products I sell,' said a black-market vendor in the town.

El Salvador is the most dangerous country in Latin America with a rate of 68 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants every year - among the highest rates in the world.