REGIONAL GANG CRACKDOWNS. At times a police state arises from a groundswell of crime, not top-down oppression. Such appears to be the case not only in El Salvador, but also Honduras, Guatemala and Jamaica. Recently Jamaica’s PM Andrew Holness said that Jamaicans “have to hide under their beds, hide their daughters, can’t go to church. And they see their sons and their boyfriends and husbands killed.” Therefore he gone as far as to authorize searching people and buildings without a warrant.
Last month we reported on how El Salvador police went so far as busting down MS-13 marked tombstones to take back territory seized by MS-13 gangs. Such extreme tactics in a 9-month-long “state of exception” have resulted in a big drop in homicides. Now neighboring Honduras has imposed its own state of exception. Honduras too has MS-13 gangs and another gang network called Barrio 18.
Honduras’ state of exception seeks out the hidden leaders in its criminal organizations. Also, Guatemala is now considering declaring a similar state of exception or emergency. With drug cartel domination of many parts of Mexico, the whole region has become less stable.
Re-evaluating police effectiveness
Consequently, in the midst of the above five countries, Belize is taking stern measures. For example, it has extradited some MS-13 and other gang elements back to their country of origin. And it has threatened 10-year jail sentences for those charged as members of a local MS-13 branch.
New challenges like these are factoring into Belize’s new Rethinking Police Management program. Specifically, it is surveying the public on how to make the police department more efficient.
In Matthew 24 we read that lawlessness leads to its opposite–the totalitarian rule of the Antichrist. Pray that this wave of lawlessness does not take us prematurely into such a state.
Image by Khoa Võ from Pexels
ETG articles related to regional gang crackdowns:
El Salvador Smashes Tombstones in War with MS-13 Gangs
Drug Violence Hits Mexico Tourist Spots & Belize
Biden Promises Jobs, Education, Medical Care to Migrants
Migrants Crossing Texas Border Open Way for More Covid & Drugs
87,000 Mexicans Still Missing, Case of 43 Students Solved
Mexico Pre-Election Violence Killed 91 Politicians
Pirates of the Caribbean and Gulf Return
BPN articles related to regional gang crackdowns:
Mexico Border’s Violent Week—Revenge for Crackdown?
Marijuana Regulation Means Legalization & Future Degradation
Legalizing Marijuana Can Impoverish Belize Further
Related sources for regional gang crackdowns:
El Salvador Fights Gangs by Destroying Members’ Tombstones
Cholera cases in Haiti expected to rise following 2-month fuel blockade
Tags: El Salvador, MS-13 gang, prison gangs, street gang members, state of exception, attacking tombstones, Day of the Dead, mark of the beast, human rights, Saul-of-Tarsus conversion, terrorists, Haiti gangs, international mob
