Some 2,000 soldiers surrounded two neighborhoods of the capital of El Salvador this Saturday in the framework of the “war” against gangs carried out by President Nayib Bukele, adding three operations of this type this month in the Central American country.
Starting this Saturday morning, 1,000 soldiers were deployed in the Tutunichapa community, while almost at nightfall another equal number of soldiers surrounded the La Granjita community along with 100 police officers, both in the capital.
“Since this morning, the Tutunichapa community, in San Salvador, has been totally fenced off,” Bukele said on Twitter.
“More than 1,000 soldiers and 130 police officers will extract the criminals that remain in this community, famous for drug trafficking,” he added, noting that this is done “without removing a single element from the siege of (the city of ) Soyapango”, which has been in place since December 3.
“After surrounding Tutunichapa, a famous drug distribution center, we knew that many drug traffickers would go to supply the La Granjita community, another famous distribution center,” the president always remarked on his Twitter account.
In Tutunichapa, a crowded neighborhood in San Salvador, there were 23 detainees, according to Defense Minister René Merino.
“All terrorists, drug traffickers and gang members will be removed from this community, until a few months ago a stronghold of crime. Honest citizens have nothing to fear and can continue to lead their lives normally,” Bukele said in another tweet.
Soyapango, the country’s third largest city with 242,000 inhabitants, was surrounded by 8,500 soldiers and 1,500 policemen 21 days ago.
The government took the measure under the regime of exception declared by Congress -with an official majority- at the request of Bukele on March 27 after an increase in gang violence
Desde esta mañana, la comunidad Tutunichapa, en San Salvador, está totalmente cercada.
Sin remover un solo elemento del cerco de Soyapango, más de 1,000 soldados y 130 agentes de la Policía, extraerán a los criminales que aún quedan en esta comunidad, famosa por el narcotráfico. pic.twitter.com/TPr6NFwr6p
— Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) December 24, 2022
