dailyloe.com – El Salvador’s ongoing state of emergency has detained over 90,000 people since March 2022. This policy aimed to curb rampant gang violence across the nation. Families now report a severe human cost affecting the youngest citizens.
Advocacy groups highlight a troubling trend of children losing parental care. The Movement for the Victims of the State of Exception provides estimates. They suggest up to 60,000 children have been deprived of support.
Other organizations estimate the number could reach 100,000 or higher. These children have lost one or both parents to detention. The state of emergency continues for a fifth consecutive year.
Sixteen-year-old Sarita represents one such case from El Rosario. Her father was arrested and imprisoned two years ago. She has been denied all contact with him since.
Her grandmother, Sara de Perez, gifted her a Saint Benedict medallion. It is a Catholic symbol of protection she wears daily. The necklace originally belonged to her detained son.
Sarita describes the profound psychological toll of this separation. She often retreats to her room to kneel and pray. The emotional impact on these children remains largely unreported.
Some children find care with relatives or family friends. Others lack any stable support system following parental arrests. The situation creates a generation affected by state policy.
The international community watches El Salvador’s security strategy closely. The trade-off between public safety and family integrity sparks debate. This human impact adds complexity to the nation’s anti-gang campaign.[]
Source: Al Jazeera
