In El Salvador’s 10 de Octubre neighborhood, peace has returned at least on the surface. Once a notorious MS-13 stronghold, the community near the capital of San Salvador now shows signs of renewal. Children play, market stalls bustle, and murals of butterflies and balloons brighten once fear-stricken walls. But beneath this fragile calm, fear still simmers.
Esperanza Martinez, a 65-year-old resident, knows too well the cost of gang rule. Her 12-year-old niece was murdered for resisting gang recruitment. Her sister’s husband was executed for not paying extortion money. Martinez’s daughter fled to the United States at 17 to escape threats. “They are hidden, but still there,” Martinez whispered, referring to gang members she believes remain in the shadows.
The transformation follows President Nayib Bukele’s aggressive crackdown on gangs since 2022. His state of emergency led to the arrest of over 87,000 people without warrants. Once ruled by gang leaders like Elmer Canales Rivera aka “Hollywood Crook”—10 de Octubre is now guarded by military forces. The graffiti that once marked gang territories has been replaced by pro-government symbols and colorful art.
Despite a drastic drop in homicide rates and Bukele’s claim that El Salvador is now “the safest country in the world,” many residents remain wary. Carlos Sanchez, a 48-year-old car washer, said, “Today we have a little peace, but remnants are hidden in the hills.” He recounted brutal scenes from the past—murders on public transport and threats to his own daughters.
Human rights groups including Amnesty International and Cristosal argue that Bukele’s methods come at a high cost. Reports of arbitrary arrests, torture, and over 400 deaths in custody raise concerns about the erosion of civil liberties. Yet, in neighborhoods like 10 de Octubre, silence prevails. Residents fear that speaking out could make them targets again.
For now, people like Antonia Alfaro, 67, stay vigilant. “Some are still hanging around,” she said from her modest home. “But I have nowhere else to go.” El Salvador may look transformed, but for many, the terror never fully left.
