Give thanks for decrease in murders in El Salvador
The number of murders in El Salvador has dropped by 60 percent since the first quarter of 2012. This follows El Salvador’s May celebration of its first murder-free day in three months.
The number of murders in El Salvador has been decreasing since early March, when two of El Salvador’s most violent gangs, Barrio 18 and the MS-13, agreed to a ceasefire, mediated by the Catholic Church. They vowed to stop killing each other’s members, suspend attacks on the police and military forces, and stop recruiting new members at schools. Segovia, adviser to the President, estimates that 300 lives are being saved every month.
Although this is great news, Segovia notes it is doubtful whether this ceasefire is sustainable without tackling the big problem of youth unemployment. He says: “We’ll continue to go after these groups [gangs], but what we need is a national agreement on employment, because if we have enough jobs, we’ll shut off the tap of all the young people who get into these activities because they don’t have opportunities.”
- Give thanks that fewer lives have been lost over the past few months in El Salvador.
- Pray for an end to gang violence and a permanent ceasefire between gangs.
- Pray for the problem of youth unemployment in El Salvador, that young people would have support and access to work opportunities and not fall into a life of crime.
Image source: José Cabezas, AFP