MS 13: A Growing Global Disease

In 1980’s approximately 100,000 Salvadorians migrated to the

United Sates as refugees escaping from the Civil War. As a result

of this, MS-13, which is the abbreviation for Mara Salvatrucha,

was formed in Los Angeles, California. It is believed the name

was obtained from combining the name “La Mara,” a violent

street in El Salvador, and the word Salvatruchas, which was a

term used to address members of the Farabundo Marti

National Liberation Front (FMNL) during the Civil War. The

FMNL was a group of Salvadorian peasants trained as rebel

fighters. The number “13” was added as result of the 13th

street in Los Angeles (Feur 4, Valdez 1 &Gang Resources 1).

Ever since, this gang has grown rapidly throughout the

United States and has expanded to different countries in Latin

America. Its international growth categorizes this gang as

a global issue; the strategies for preventing this gang from

growing should focus on schools offering mentors and

after school programs.
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