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El Salvador President Denies Allegations of Negotiations With MS-13 Gang

VOA News

   El Salvador President Nayib Bukele vehemently denied allegations of
   collusion Friday after a report circulated by the online media outlet
   El Faro said his government had been engaging in talks with one of the
   country's most prolific gangs.

   El Faro reported Friday that it had obtained a cache of government
   documents, including prison logs and prison intelligence reports, that
   show government officials engaging in talks with members of the MS-13
   gang since last June.

   The report alleges Bukele's involvement with the gang stems from an
   effort to lower the country's notoriously high murder rate and boost
   support for his campaign before the midterm elections in exchange for
   privileges in prison.

   Attorney General Raúl Melara, whose office is independent of the
   Bukele presidency, said in an interview with a local television station
   that his office would be investigating the claims.

   The 39-year-old former businessman won the race for the presidency in
   2019, despite not being from either of the country's historically
   dominant parties, after campaigning as a law-and-order candidate. He
   quickly earned recognition for the steady decline of El Salvador's
   murder rate.

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