A controversial move by the Trump administration to dismiss charges against a top MS-13 figure, Vladimir Antonio Arevalo-Chavez, is sparking outrage and accusations of a government cover-up. Newly unsealed court documents reveal the US Justice Department wants to deport Arevalo-Chavez, citing “foreign policy” and “national security” concerns. However, critics and the defendant’s lawyers claim this is a deliberate attempt to silence him and protect Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, who is alleged to have struck a secret deal with MS-13 in 2019.
Arevalo-Chavez, a member of MS-13’s “Ranfla Nacional” leadership, possesses intimate knowledge of Bukele’s pact, which reportedly involved land, money, and electoral support for the gang in exchange for peace. This proposed deportation aligns with El Salvador’s request for the return of nine top MS-13 leaders and comes amidst improved relations between the US and El Salvador under the Trump administration. Experts are calling this a “criminal conspiracy” between the two governments to prevent testimony about the gang pact, raising questions about the integrity of both administrations, who paradoxically claim to be tough on crime.
