Sombra Negra
| Black Shadow | |
|---|---|
| Sombra Negra | |
| Dates of operation | 1989–1995, 2014–present |
| Country |  El Salvador |
| Motives | To “socially cleanse” El Salvador of criminals and gang members |
| Major actions | Murder, torture, kidnapping |
| Size | Unknown |
| Allies | Far-right paramilitaries |
| Opponents | El Salvador Mara Salvatrucha 18th Street Gang  FMLN |
| Battles and wars | Salvadoran Civil War |
TheSombra Negra(Spanishfor "Black Shadow" ), also known asEl Clan de Planta( "The Plant Clan" ), are (as of 2014)[1]death squadgroups based inEl Salvador,allegedly composed mostly ofpoliceandmilitary personnel,that target criminals andgangmembers forvigilante justice.[2]The name first appeared around December 1989 in theDepartment of San Miguel.By April 1995, the group had stated that it had killed seventeen persons, claiming that those killed were criminals or members of gangs.[3]These vigilante groups are based inEl Salvador.Thegovernment of El Salvadorinsists the groups are not under its control.
Sombra Negramembers typically blindfolded and tied the hands and/or thumbs of their victims behind their backs.[3]Several hours of torture would follow, often including the removal of the genitalia, hands, tongue, rectum and teeth.[citation needed]Finally, the victims were giventiros de gracia,or shots of grace, meaning they were shot in the base of their skulls with assault rifles and machine guns at close range. Messages were written on the victim's body such as"El idiota sufrió una muerte lenta"( "this idiot suffered a slow death" ) and other insults or gang-related slang. TheSombra Negraoperatives would conceal their face and body with bandanas, anthropomorphic costumes, and use unlicensed vehicles with darkened windows when they carried out their missions in order to avoid full detection.Sombra Negrastated that it killed people because the group believed that the police could not enforce laws of El Salvador and that it is waging a campaign of “social cleansing” against gangs.[1][3]
Targeting MS-13 and 18th Street Gang[edit]
Sombra Negrais well known for its specialty in pursuing and executing members of notorious El Salvador-based criminal organizations referred to asMarasor "gangs" —even if they move and do their business in the United States, particularly Los Angeles.[3]Similarly, Fernando Ramirez, a convicted felon serving 60 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release, asked in an interview for his tattoos to be removed before serving his sentence in San Salvador.[4]Sombra Negratargets bothMS-13and its rival18th Street Gang.[5]Members of MS-13 are, in some cases, asking American judges to grant them asylum in fear of being murdered bySombra Negrain El Salvador.[citation needed]
As of 2014, an increase in gang violence following thecollapse of a gang trucehas sparked a revival of activity for these death squads.[1]The Salvadoran attorney general for human rights, David Morales, says this activity may be related to police activity. In an interview with Morales, the attorney general explained that the sombra negra has caused a rash of sexual assaults among gang members: "Gang members believe they [Sombra Negra] are infiltrating their ranks. Leadership and members [have] responded by raping suspected infiltrators. "[6]
Only 19 days into January 2019, El Salvador had already seen 200 murders across the country.Sombra Negraclaimed that all the murders were caused by gang activity. They claim that the common people are tired of the constant murders and mourning and label the gangs as terrorists.[7]
The death squad has expanded its area of operation to El Salvador’s neighboring countries ofHondurasandGuatemalato rid the three countries of theNorthern Triangle.[8]
Notable killings[edit]
In 2014, the yearSombra Negrareemerged, members of the death squad dressed in all black clothing armed withM16 assault riflesraided a house of seven people, four of whom being members of MS-13. The four members were captured and tortured bySombra Negra.All four were then killed with a single bullet to the back of the head. A few days following the attack, leaflets were posted in El Salvador demanding members of MS-13 to “leave within five days or face certain death.”[8]
In March 2016,Sombra Negramembers rounded up four MS-13 gang members and put them in the back of a pickup truck in the town of San Antonio Silva. They were taken to a soccer field, where they were shot in the back of the head and their bodies were left on the field.[8][9]
On 25 January 2019,Sombra Negramurdered two members of MS-13. The first was in Paraíso de Osorio,La Paz,where police found the gang member's corpse in a creek with his hands tied behind his back, legs tied together, gagged, and a bullet in his head. Next to the body was a sign which read "LaSombra Negraha llegado a Paraíso de Osorio. Ratas de la MS llegó su fin. "(TheSombra Negrahas arrived to Paraíso de Osorio. MS rats your time has come).[10][11]The second was in San Jorge,San Miguel,with the body found in similar conditions.[10]
In popular culture[edit]
In the 2015AMCAmericanpost-apocalyptichorrordramatelevision seriesFear the Walking Dead,the character ofDaniel Salazarplayed by Panamanian actor & salsa musicianRubén Blades,is a former member of Sombra Negra who had been coerced into joining one of theSalvadoran Juntadeath squads and was personally responsible for killing nearly 100 Salvadorans.[12]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^abc"Has Gang Violence in El Salvador Sparked a Death Squad Revival?".Insightcrime.org.4 April 2015. Archived fromthe originalon 4 April 2015.
- ^"'Black Shadow' vigilante group creates new climate of fear in El Salvador ".The Baltimore Sun.Chicago Tribune. 25 May 1995.Archivedfrom the original on 1 February 2014.Retrieved27 January2014.
- ^abcd"Question and Answer Series – El Salvador: Re-emergence Of" Social Cleansing "Death Squads – USCIS"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 27 June 2009.Retrieved27 June2009..
- ^"MS-13 Leader Sentenced to 60 Years in Federal Prison for Racketeering Conspiracy, Armed Robbery and Gun Violation".4 May 2009.Archivedfrom the original on 13 April 2013.Retrieved27 March2013.
- ^"Has Gang Violence in El Salvador Sparked a Death Squad Revival?".InSight Crime.27 March 2017.Retrieved12 November2021.
- ^"Sombra Negra".Archivedfrom the original on 2 February 2016.Retrieved29 January2016.
- ^"Reaparece la Sombra Negra para Vengarse de Pandilleros en El Salvador".Retrieved7 January2020.
- ^abc"Sombra Negra, The Vigilante Group That's Taking Back The Streets From MS-13".Retrieved7 January2020.
- ^"MS-13 Doesn't Fear Trump, Rival Gangs, or the Police, But They are Terrified of la Sombra Negra".Retrieved7 January2020.
- ^ab"Sombra Negra Adjudica Muerte Hombre Vinculos Pandillas Cuando Salia Unidad Salud Paz".Retrieved7 January2020.
- ^"Sombra Negra se Adjudcia Otra Ejecución en el País".Retrieved7 January2020.
- ^Dwilson, Stephanie Dube (18 June 2017)."Fear the Walking Dead: What Is Sombra Negra?".Heavy.Archivedfrom the original on 15 February 2018.Retrieved14 February2018.