Delay, Interfere, Undermine
3 minute readPublished: Thursday, June 12, 2025 at 9:00 am
**El Salvador-U.S. Partnership Raises Concerns Over MS-13 Investigation**
A recent partnership between the United States and El Salvador, celebrated in April at the White House, has raised questions about the integrity of a U.S. investigation into the MS-13 gang. The deal involves El Salvador agreeing to incarcerate Venezuelan immigrants labeled as violent criminals by the Trump administration, and the return of accused MS-13 members to El Salvador.
The U.S. investigation, led by Joint Task Force Vulcan, initially aimed to dismantle MS-13's leadership. However, it expanded to examine potential collusion between the Bukele government and the gang. ProPublica's reporting reveals that senior Salvadoran officials repeatedly hindered the task force's efforts, including blocking extraditions of gang leaders and persecuting law enforcement officials who aided the investigation.
Furthermore, U.S. agents suspected that the Bukele government diverted U.S. aid funds to MS-13 as part of an alleged deal. This deal involved the gang providing political support and reducing homicide rates in exchange for money and power. The investigation was widened to examine suspected corruption at high levels of the Bukele government.
The investigation faced significant setbacks. Bukele's government ousted the Attorney General and Supreme Court justices, who had signaled their willingness to approve extraditions. Senior officials allegedly helped an MS-13 leader escape prison, and extradition requests for other gang leaders were blocked. Despite these obstacles, the Trump administration deported an MS-13 leader to El Salvador and is seeking to dismiss charges against another, allowing their return.
BNN's Perspective: This situation presents a complex dilemma. While the U.S. aims to combat crime and terrorism, the partnership with El Salvador raises concerns about undermining investigations into potential corruption and the protection of MS-13 leaders. The potential for political motivations to influence law enforcement efforts is troubling and warrants careful scrutiny.
Keywords: MS-13, El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, Donald Trump, Joint Task Force Vulcan, extradition, corruption, U.S. aid, deportation, gang violence, terrorism.