Mothers in El Salvador wonder if their imprisoned sons will ever be released
March 3, 20235:04 PM ET
Heard on All Things Considered
EYDER PERALTA
JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:
In El Salvador, the government has jailed more than 60,000 people in an effort to end the dominance of gangs. After almost a year, some families haven't had any contact with their imprisoned loved ones, so a group of mothers have held vigil outside prisons, some for months at a time. NPR's Eyder Peralta spoke to some of these moms caught in the middle.
EYDER PERALTA, BYLINE: They call this place El Penalito, the little prison. And just on the other side of the street from the big walls, I find Maria slumped over a table. It's the middle of the day. It's hot, and this is her ninth month of vigil, hoping for her son-in-law to be released.
MARIA: (Through interpreter) Every day, we keep the faith that at any minute, he'll get off some bus and be released from prison.
PERALTA: Maria says her son-in-law is a good, loving father who has nothing to do with gangs. Like most of the other people in this story, she's asked us to use only her first name because she fears government retribution. Maria says police picked him up last April, saying a neighbor reported him as a gang member. That day, 10 months ago, was the last time she heard his voice.
More:
https://www.npr.org/2023/03/03/1161051058/mothers-in-el-salvador-wonder-if-their-imprisoned-sons-will-ever-be-released