Gangs and the Culture of Violence in El Salvador (What role did the US play?)

Authors

Norma Roumie, University of WindsorFollow

Keywords

El Salvador, Latin America, Gangs, Migration, Culture of Violence, Northern Triangle, US Politics

Abstract

Gang violence in El Salvador has resulted in conditions that have perpetuated an environment of terror and culture of violence. This paper aims to understand the emergence of transnational gangs in El Salvador and the US involvement in this process. The article is divided into the following subtitles; 1980s civil war and the repercussions of US involvement, Salvadorans migration to the US and reverse migration (with a focus on Los Angeles and San Salvador), and US exportation of heavy-handed policies to El Salvador’s institutionalized use of political violence. The paper concludes that US involvement in El Salvador created a foundation for a culture of violence and through interlinked factors US influence and actions instigated circumstances for gang proliferated in El Salvador.

First Page

24

Last Page

49

Recommended Citation

Roumie, Norma (2017) "Gangs and the Culture of Violence in El Salvador (What role did the US play?)," The Great Lakes Journal of Undergraduate History: Vol. 5: Iss. 1, Article 3.
Available at: https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/gljuh/vol5/iss1/3