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Security forces highest crime rates in started working and the hope is that
the Americas. this will be normalised gradually.”
Police and soldiers guarded bus stops
GUARD El Salvador The stoppage is the in San Salvador and surrounding areas,
latest crisis between while police patrols and military tanks
the government and patrolled the city. In areas where bus
the gangs, which services had not been restored, people
were being moved by lorries.
buses after murders are demanding to President Sanchez Ceren has blamed
be included in a the latest violence on a gang called
commission examining Barrio 18. Since taking office last year,
he has focused on tackling crime.
ways of stemming However the country has faced a sharp
increase in violence since 2014, with
urban violence - 677 murders recorded since June last
year.
which they are largely Barrio 18 and another gang, Mara
Salvatrucha are estimated to have
responsible for. 70,000 members.
THE government in El Salvador has and the capital San Salvador has been President Salvador
provided military and police escorts paralysed for days with commuters Sanchez Ceren has ruled this out. More
for bus drivers forced to go on strike by forced to walk to work. than 100 bus routes have faced threats
powerful criminal gangs. Criminal gangs have been pushing from gangs, local media say. But Deputy
At least seven drivers who defied the for truce negotiations with the Transport Minister Nelson Garcia told
ban have been killed in recent days, government. El Salvador has one of the reporters: “Many companies have
12 INTERNATIONAL Saturday, August 01 2015 - ARUBA TRAVELLER
