Antiguo Cuscatlán, El Salvador

El Salvador's government said Monday that dozens of high school students had been arrested for allegedly seeking to form a criminal gang in defiance of a crackdown by President Nayib Bukele.

It is the first time authorities have announced the attempted formation of a new gang since Bukele launched a "war" on such groups in March 2022 using a state of emergency.

"A decisive step has been taken in the prevention of organized crime by dismantling an attempt to form a student-led gang," Attorney General Rodolfo Delgado told a press conference at which questions were not allowed.

Delgado said 46 students were arrested last week, including 14 minors, who will be charged with belonging to "illegal groups" and crimes of a "sexual nature."

The gang operated in three schools and sought to fill a "criminal power vacuum" left by Bukele's crackdown on established street gangs, Delgado said.

Justice and Security Minister Gustavo Villatoro said the high school gang was a criminal organization "with all the characteristics" of the notorious Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and Barrio 18 groups.

"We will not tolerate this type of gang activity," he said at the same press conference.

Around 87,000 alleged gang members or collaborators have been arrested over the past three years in the Central American nation, according to the government.

Around 8,000 innocent people arrested in the crackdown have been released, according to Bukele, but activists say thousands remain imprisoned.

While human rights organizations have criticized Bukele's methods and warned of growing authoritarianism in the Central American nation, a drastic drop in the homicide rate has made him popular at home.

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© Agence France-Presse