Under President Nayib Bukele, El Salvador has become the model of a hardline, or “mano dura,” approach to combatting organized crime, with governments from the United States to Ecuador to Argentina emulating its vision for security. 

Despite reports of arbitrary arrests, unfair trials, and inhumane conditions in prison — even torture and extrajudicial executions — few question the anti-gang campaign. Even those who leave El Salvador cannot escape its grasp. This is the story of one young man, who, while not perfect, had no documented history with gangs, but yet was pursued even after he left El Salvador.

Abused and Pursued: How El Salvador’s State of Emergency Went International | Written by Carlos García and read by Steven Dudley.

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