The law banning gangs comes into force in El Salvador－Corbina blog

A law criminalizing gang membership and funding and other groups went into effect today in El Salvador after those bands require the carrier to stop their work for 72 hours to demand that they not be punished this legal instrument.

The Prohibition Act of maras, gangs, groups, associations and organizations of a criminal nature, known as "anti-gang", was passed by Parliament on 1 September and culminating nine days later by President Mauricio Funes, who ruled out negotiating with the gang.

"Eight days after its publication (in the Official Journal) is effective," he told Efe the Deputy Minister of Justice and Security, Henry Fields.

Following this law, which seeks to contain the violence that is bleeding this country, where there are between 10 and 13 murders per day, the Mara Salvatrucha (MS) and Mara 18 (M18) sought to paralyze transportation, to prevent its passage presidential.

The rule outlaws and outlaws "calls gangs or" maras "and provides for the" extinction of ownership, control, or possession "of goods, cash, rights, profits and advantages that were acquired as part of this criminal activity .

It also empowers the prosecutor or the court to order the freezing of bank accounts and seize assets related to these crimes.

Fields explained that the authorities will "with new tools" to "proceed against the assets of those gang members or gang-related" and disable them to integrate companies or be shareholders.

"They can not exercise political rights those who are convicted of this crime (...) can not receive any benefit from the state law can not be authenticated, are not supported, can not maintain permissions for (...), example, to operate a bus, nor can they be owners "of these by others, he said.

For his part, Archbishop of San Salvador, José Luis Escobar Alas, said at a news conference that the law "is a valid tool" and "an element for the solution of violence" but "not enough" , said the prelate, who stressed the need to "advance in the prevention of crime" and "research."

The Executive introduced the law after suspected gang members set fire on 20 June, a bus with passengers on board, a fact which caused 17 deaths. That same day he was shot at another vehicle in transport, which claimed three lives.

In March 1996 passed a law against delinquency and organized crime, but declared unconstitutional in February 1997, sources told Efe the Supreme Court.

Another "anti-gang law" took effect, temporarily, in October 2003 and established as a crime, gang membership, while minors tried as adults if they have committed murder, but was declared unconstitutional in 2004 .

Fields explained that those laws were declared unconstitutional earlier because criminalizing "modes of being" and establish penalties, for example, the use of tattoos or communications through codes.

He said that now is an "administrative law", which specifies and complements the prohibited conduct and that, by itself, does not establish penalties.

In this case, it shall enter into force still increased penalties, given that the government has not sanctioned the reform of Article 345 of the Penal Code.

Different sectors have warned that this law "may bring more violence" and demanded action to prevent young people are linked to these groups.

"What may happen is that (...) the gang become more violent," said the coordinator of Public Safety and Criminal Justice Research Foundation for the Application of Law, Nelson Rojas.

"Hopefully not reach the levels of Honduras and Mexico," he said.

While in Guatemala have declared on alert for a possible exodus of Salvadoran gang members from the input force of "anti-gang law."