Mass Trial in El Salvador

El Salvador has launched one of the largest collective criminal proceedings in its history, targeting the senior hierarchy of the notorious Mara Salvatrucha gang.

The 486 defendants are facing charges related to nearly 30,000 murders, as well as drug trafficking and forced disappearances committed over a decade.

Large groups of inmates were shown attending the hearing via video link from high-security prisons, a visual testament to President Nayib Bukele's aggressive crackdown on organized crime.

While the government maintains the trial is necessary to deliver justice, international observers warn that the mass format may violate fundamental legal rights.