Mothers in San Salvador demand release of relatives detained under emergency regime

On Sunday, a group of mothers gathered outside the Catedral Metropolitana in San Salvador, calling for the liberation of their family members who have been detained under El Salvador's "régimen de excepción." They condemn the mass trials that group detainees by alleged gang affiliation rather than individual evidence, demanding that each case be examined separately and that family visits be restored.

The protest references specific cases, such as 21‑year‑old Marvin Rolando Santos Reyes, seized on 5 April 2022 just days after the emergency decree was approved and who has not been seen since. Mothers claim many detainees, including spouses, children, cousins and grandparents, are innocent of any gang involvement and are suffering punitive sentences of 25 to 50 years. They appeal directly to President Nayib Bukele to honor release orders and uphold basic legal rights.

"Somos madres luchando por la libertad de cada uno de nuestros hijos, por nuestros esposos, por nuestros primos, tíos, abuelos," one protester said, urging the government to end the exceptional regime and guarantee due process.