People & Power - Salvadorian Salvation - 09 Mar 08 - Pt.2

El Salvador is awash in violence. Fifteen years after the end of a bloody civil war, the small Central American country has become notorious for its vicious street gangs, or maras, as they are called.

Among the worst are the Mara 13 and Mara 18 which sell drugs, extort protection money and fight relentlessly for territory.

In Santa Anna, EL Salvador's second largest city, gang members are always on the lookout for new recruits.

They pressure youth, many as young as 10, to participate in criminal activities and prove their worth as foot soldiers - or face the consequences.

Fear and economic pressures force many to become part of the gang life, setting them on a violent course that too often ends in jail time for capital crimes or tragic death.

But an innovative organisation in Santa Ana, Barefoot Angels, has been battling for more than 10 years to shelter kids from violence and away from gang life.

Barefoot Angels staff run great risks, along with the children they help, and have witnessed dramatic results.

Producers Steve Baum and Adam Raney documented Barefoot Angels' daily struggle for the hearts and souls of EL Salvador's youth.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• People
• Power
• al
• jazeera
• aljazeera
• El
• Salvador
• Santa
• Anna
• Central
• America

[wazoome]

These monsters force people who are deported from the U.S. to join or die. It's disgusting. They lie! They even kill their own. No country deserves this! My heart goes out to all the decent people of El Salvador that deal with this. Bless the Barefoot Angels for all their work. If the U.S. wants to eradicate the problem, then remove the poverty conditions in El Salvador that we brought there. God Bless you, El Salvador and God DAMN the slavery of gangs!

[starmanskye]

hushg: A real moron bufoon who thinks the goal of nations and peoples is 'to be on top'. The US is on 'top', to the extent that it still is, because it has exploited a cynical, hypocritical foreign policy based on exporting war and plundering resources & cheap labor, keeping nations in indentured servitude via corrupt IMF & World Bank loans accepted by US-installed dictators. Read 'Economic Hitmen' by Perkins. Che was a revolutionary hero in the spirit of Benjamin Franklin against the Brits.

[TheGleeson1987]

love el salvador from ireland hard livin hope tings get better

[guny8]

stuppid moder fuckers yankies,listen espanish now dogs

[medceltic]

love the girl, she has a good english, emmmmmmmmmmm guapa latina. xx

[Joe187X]

@The88punisher jajaja, no te digo pues, estas pero traumado y obsesionado con El Salvador y sus Maras, jajajajaja, que te hicieron las pandillas mexicanito? jajajajajajaja, y dices que yo ando por todos los canales? jajajajaja, Por lo menos los narcos y las maras se estan acabando con tu gente de mierda, jajajaja, Ni sabes escribir Ingles pendejito, jajajajaja, Sigue con tu complejo de inferioridad, jajajajaja...........

[skaterbaconboy77]

I'm from El Salvador and No everyone in there are like these guys.

They are just young and confused.

I grew up with my grandparents who thought me about God

and how He would always be there.

They were right! I now live in the U.S and I got to school and I live in a great home with my parents.

[granaguila10]

@The88punisher hey! not all people from El Salvador are like this,probably you belong to a fucking racist group.

[HanKSN101]

This has a one Sided argument.

When you turn you back on people, ignore them, insult them, talk down to them, and refuse a helping hand. This is the out come.

These "Gang Members" you mention are Husbands, wives, sons, daughters, that sweet angel you held in your arms as an infant.

El Salvador Your Hell Is Your Fault.

Poverty - Government

Lack Of Programs - Government

Lack Of Employment - Government

[The88punisher]

Filthy shitty ass 3rd world shithole....

Mother Nature should wipe out el salvashithole for once and their horrible existance out this Earth....

[Mrdeftoness1]

@hushg2000 dirty ass 4 time wetback

[Mrdeftoness1]

people from this shitty nationality suck i don't know how they take pride in this loser nation