A bloody Holy Week

Semana Santa (Holy Week) is a time of vacations, party and festivals in El Salvador.   The beaches and families gather.   But this year, the week was marked by a bloody total of accidental and intentional deaths.

The authorities released today the tally of accident deaths occurring during the period of Semana Santa.  52 people died in accidents -- 44 in traffic accidents and 8 by drowning.  This represented a 24% increase over the prior year.   The police chief Howard Cotto listed cars which traveled into the lanes of oncoming traffic and distracted drivers as the primary source of fatal accidents.

There was also a surge in homicides during Semana Santa with 116 killings recorded.  Cotto asserted that 78% of the homicides were gang-related.   There were at least 13 shoot-outs between gangs and police.   Good Friday was the bloodiest day with 20 homicides.

This surge in gang violence comes after four months of improvement in homicide rates, and shows how intractable the epidemic of criminal violence in El Salvador continues to be.
 

Comments

nobrains23 said…

If “parents” no change their bad behaviour as parent this will not change. Very irresponsible. There is no social cohesion in the lower classes, too much fucking around, no attention and love at all ..AND...a horrible education system. Not obliged, only half a day, and very low level.
If they don’t change radically this will never changeb