Salvadoran women use murals to transform gang-controlled neighborhoods

In the 10 de Octubre neighborhood of San Marcos, El Salvador, three women—Patricia Vega, Marcela Alvarenga, and Elizabeth Guardado—are using art to reshape a community once dominated by gang territory. The muralists are painting landscapes, birds, and flowers over areas previously marked by the graffiti of the MS-13 gang.

Historically, the MS-13 and Barrio 18 gangs controlled approximately 80% of Salvadoran territory. Following a 2022 government offensive led by President Nayib Bukele, these groups were largely dismantled, though the crackdown has faced criticism from NGOs regarding human rights violations. In 10 de Octubre, a 2024 operation resulted in hundreds of arrests, leading to a permanent military and police presence.

The artists, who grew up experiencing the “survival fear” associated with gang violence, view their work as a form of reconstruction for a place where women were once frequent targets of gender-based violence.