This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SAN SALVADOR 000418 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10 YEARS 
TAGS: PGOV PINR PINS PREL PTER SNAR KCRM ES GANGS
SUBJECT: VIOLENCE SPIRALS IN EL SALVADOR/GOVERNMENT GRASPS 
FOR SOLUTIONS 
 
 
Classified By: DCM Michael Butler for reasons 1.4 b & d 
 
¶1. (C) Summary and Comment: In 2005, El Salvador eclipsed 
Colombia as the country with the highest homicide rate per 
capita in the Western Hemisphere.  The GOES has responded to 
the epidemic of gang violence with a variety of initiatives 
that have thus far failed to stem the tide of violence.  The 
latest initiative, announced February 13, is the creation of 
a special operations unit within the police to identify and 
capture extortionists, mostly "mara" members, who are killing 
large numbers of public transportation workers. Separately, 
according to GOES law enforcement, the deportation of 
criminal gang members from the United States to El Salvador 
continues to add to the burgeoning violent crime problem. 
Although the police is earnestly (and desperately) trying to 
respond to a public safety crisis, the Salvadoran government 
lacks the additional resources necessary to adequately 
address the problem. A further impediment is an underfunded 
and less-than-effective Attorney General's office and 
judicial officials who are often unwilling to keep violent 
criminals behind bars. End Summary and Comment. 
 
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EL SALVADOR'S "CRIMINAL EPIDEMIC" 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) On February 13, the Salvadoran National Chief Medical 
Examiner presented his annual report, and characterized El 
Salvador as plagued by a "criminal epidemic" that has created 
the highest rate of homicides per capita in the Western 
Hemisphere.  In 2005, 55.5 of every 100,000 inhabitants in El 
Salvador lost their lives to violence (3,812 total).  This 
rate of violence eclipsed that of Colombia, which reported 
40.4 murders per 100,000 inhabitants over the same period. 
The Pan American Health Organization PAHO) considers any 
figure above 10 murders per 100,000 inhabitants to be of 
epidemic proportions.  The high level of murders in El 
Salvador is largely attributable to criminal gang activity, 
and has its roots in control of territory for drug 
trafficking and sales, and extortion of common citizens, 
public transport workers, and small businessmen.  The Medical 
Examiner further provided annual violent crime statistics 
which show that El Salvador's murder rate has spiraled 
year-by-year, starting in 2002 with 2,346, then 2,933 in 
2004, and culminating with the 2005 figures.  For the first 
time in 2005, even the upper class "Escalon" neighborhood in 
San Salvador appeared among the high murder areas, with 13 
homicides.  (Note:  "Escalon" is one of the bedroom areas for 
the diplomatic community.  End Note.) 
 
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THE GOES IS TRYING, BUT FAILING 
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¶3. (C) The GOES has responded to the epidemic of gang 
violence with a variety of initiatives that have thus far 
failed to stem the tide of violence.  Over the past several 
years, the police have created a number of targeted units, 
including specialized anti-gang and homicide units.  On 
February 13, the Minister of Governance announced the 
formation of a special operations unit in the police to 
identify and target extortionists, largely "mara" members, 
who have been responsible for numerous assassinations of 
public transportation employees unwilling to pay "mara" 
"tolls." Unfortunately, the formation of these units does not 
place additional police officers on the street, but rather 
rearranges officers already assigned to different tasks.  To 
provide additional manpower and security, ESAF soldiers now 
augment some police foot patrols.  This arrangement, however, 
is only a temporary fix in a country wary of granting police 
powers to the military. 
 
¶4. (C) The most significant and promising action taken by the 
GOES to address gang violence is the January, 2006 
appointment of Rodrigo Avila as Police Director.  Avila is an 
ARENA party stalwart with broad political and business 
contacts, and has been a close Embassy contact for many 
years. He previously served as Police Director in the 1990s, 
and most recently held the post of Vice Minister of Public 
Security.  By naming Avila Police Director, President Saca 
sent a clear message that he is willing to employ his best 
and brightest to address the gang violence issue.  Avila's 
first actions included the removal and prosecution of a large 
number of community police officers who had been receiving 
protection money from "mara" members and other petty drug 
dealers to allow the retail drug trade in several notorious 
San Salvador neighborhoods.  Last week, Avila also 
transferred a large number of traffic officers who were 
suspected of asking for bribes in exchange for forgiving 
traffic tickets. However, despite his abilities and 
commitment to cleaning up the streets, Avila's chance for 
success will be significantly hampered without additional 
police resources. 
 
¶5. (C) Much of the gang violence in El Salvador occurs in 
areas without a strong police presence.  El Salvador has 
16,000 police officers to provide public security and 
criminal investigations for seven million inhabitants.  This 
police-to-civilian ratio of 1 to 437 is less than half that 
of major U.S. metropolitan cities with comparable 
populations.  Further compounding the lack of police officers 
is the fact that gangs are not concentrated in one area of 
the country.  They operate in all major cities and in the 
rural areas of each department.  The police will not be able 
to adequately provide public security in gang infested areas 
without a substantial augmentation of its forces. 
 
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COMMENT 
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¶6. (C) Although it is focused on the issue, the GOES is 
presently unable to adequately address gang related violence. 
 The expedited deportation of criminal gang members from the 
United States to El Salvador under the Secure Borders 
Initiative (SBI) is only exacerbating the problem.  Costs 
associated with gang violence -- including unemployment -- 
are already estimated at eleven percent of El Salvador's 
gross domestic product.  In the absence of any mechanism to 
absorb and monitor these deported criminals, we should expect 
gang violence and unemployment to escalate.  Both factors 
contribute to increased illegal immigration to the United 
States. 
 
¶7. (C) President Saca and all his key players on this issue 
fully understand that, next to promoting economic growth and 
investment, this is El Salvador's critical issue. 
Nonetheless, Saca can only devote a very limited amount of 
resources to the criminal justice system within the context 
of other demands such as the need to maintain fiscal 
responsibility and to expand social programs such as public 
health and education.  Having said that, the GOES has taken 
great advantage of USG programs targeted to law enforcement, 
such as INL-funded counternarcotics programs. GOES law 
enforcement is also excited about ILEA and how those programs 
will improve the effectiveness of their criminal justice 
professionals.  Post experience has been that U.S. funding of 
criminal justice programs here is money well-spent and can 
have a positive impact on U.S. national security, especially 
in regards to the "mara" issue in the states. 
Barclay