U.S. Preparing Indictments Against El Salvador Officials for Alleged Pact With Gang Leaders

By Mary Webber First Posted: Dec 10, 2021 08:30 PM EST

Criminal charges are being prepared against El Salvador's Deputy Justice Minister Osiris Luna along with another senior official.

United States official accused the two of creating a secret pact with gangs during rising tensions between Washington and El Salvador President Nayib Bukele's administration, according to a Reuters report.

The U.S. Justice Department task force is preparing the indictments of the two El Salvador officials. A Bukele ally, Carlos Marroquin, was also seen to be facing charges.

Marroquin is the chairman of the Social Fabric Reconstruction Unit.

Luna and Marroquin faced sanctions from the U.S. Treasury and Wednesday after accusation of cutting a deal with Mara Salvatrucha and Barrio 18 gangs.

The deal was done in an effort to reduce violence, in exchange the El Salvador government would receive political backing by providing easier prison conditions and financial benefits for gang members.

However, the El Salvador president has repeatedly denied that his government had cut a deal with any gangs and condemned the sanctions.

The U.S. government is eyeing to prosecute for a wide range of crimes committed abroad, which included acts committed by or against American citizens.

MS-13 has been determined as a terrorist group by El Salvador while U.S. prosecutors have said that the gang leaders had done terrorist acts.

El Salvador Officials Deal With Gang Leaders

The Treasury Department's statement said in 2020 that the negotiations happened with Luna and Marroquin and the gang leaders.

The gang leaders' part of the deal was reported to provide support to the Nuevas Ideas political party in upcoming elections, according to The Guardian report.

Luna and Marroquin allegedly led, facilitated, and organized a number of secret meetings involving incarcerated gang leaders, wherein known gang members were allowed to enter the prison facilities and meet with senior gang leadership.

Gang members also gained financial benefits with the deal. Imprisoned leaders have special treatment, including access to mobile phones and sex workers.

El Salvador mocked the report through a tweet, saying "Cell phones and prostitutes in the prisons? Money to the gangs? When did that happen?"

Bukele added in a tweet that how can people put out an obvious lie without anyone questioning its validity, according to an Associated Press News report.

Luna and his mother, Alma Yanira Meza Olivares, also allegedly put in motion a ploy to embezzle millions of dollars from the prison system.

They were also allegedly stealing pandemic relief supplies and re-selling the stolen supplies to the government.

The U.S. Agency for International Development noted that it would redirect its aid in El Salvador to non-governmental organizations.

In June, the new attorney general announced the cancellation of the Organization of American States anti-corruption mission in El Salvador.

Bukele's Chief of Staff Carolina Recinos was also accused by the U.S. government as a corrupt official after Recinos was included in the list of allegedly corrupt officials in Central America.

A U.S. top diplomat in El Salvador announced her resignation from her post last month, saying Bukele's government has no interest in improving the bilateral relationship.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: El Salvador seeks to reform gang members - from Al Jazeera English