El Salvador: Bleak Prospects in the Face of Criminal Violence

Encompassing El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, Central America's "Northern Triangle" is one of the world's most violent regions. The area saw 17,000 murders in 2015 alone. The region's weak governments have proved unable to stem the growth of gang-related organized crime. Until El Salvador -- and the region, for that matter -- deals with its deeper economic and sociological problems and is able to provide a stable and non-corrupt government, the problem of powerful organized crime gangs and the violence that accompanies them will continue. ...