The Trump Justice Department has quietly dropped narco-terrorism charges against two top leaders of the violent gang MS-13, allowing them to be sent back to El Salvador instead of facing prosecution in the U.S
This move has raised serious questions about the administration’s handling of criminal extraditions and its relationship with El Salvador’s government.
For decades, U.S. policy has been to arrest and prosecute foreign criminals, especially gang leaders involved in violent transnational crimes on American soil.
Extradition and federal prosecution have been key tools to hold such criminals accountable.
However, the Trump administration appears to have reversed this approach in a deal involving Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele.
Reports say the Justice Department dismissed charges against the two MS-13 leaders to facilitate their return to El Salvador, at Bukele’s insistence.
This agreement was part of a broader deal in which the U.S. reportedly paid El Salvador $6 million to take custody of about 300 illegal immigrants.
Many of these deportees allegedly include members of violent gangs like MS-13 and Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua, according to the National Review.
Critics argue that this deal has tarnished U.S. efforts to enforce immigration and border laws, especially given Bukele’s government’s history of negotiating with gangs to reduce violence in exchange for favors and political support.
Since 2019, U.S. officials have documented corrupt dealings between Bukele’s administration and MS-13 leadership.
These include secret meetings between gang leaders and Salvadoran officials who allegedly offered gang privileges, such as reduced prison restrictions and political backing.
In 2020, the Justice Department indicted 14 alleged MS-13 leaders on charges including murder conspiracies, drug trafficking, and alien smuggling. These indictments highlighted the gang’s organized and hierarchical structure.
One indicted leader, César Humberto López-Larios, known as part of MS-13’s “Twelve Apostles of the Devil,” was arrested in the U.S.
But the Justice Department asked a judge to dismiss all charges against him in March 2025, citing “geopolitical, national security, foreign policy, or related reasons.” The judge approved the dismissal, and López-Larios was returned to El Salvador.
Another top MS-13 leader, Vladimir Antonio Arevalo-Chavez, known as “the Vampire,” was also returned to El Salvador after years in U.S. custody. Prosecutors told the court the dismissal was necessary due to sensitive foreign policy considerations connected to the Bukele deal.
Bukele’s administration has denied wrongdoing but has faced accusations of using gang alliances to maintain political power. In 2020, officials close to Bukele allegedly negotiated with MS-13 to reduce violence and secure political support for Bukele’s party, Nuevas Ideas.
This political party won a supermajority in the 2021 legislative elections. Soon after, the Salvadoran legislature removed key judicial officials, further consolidating Bukele’s control.
The Justice Department’s “Vulcan” task force was created under Trump to target MS-13’s violent operations. Despite this, the administration’s cooperation with Bukele’s government appears to have compromised prosecution efforts against some of the gang’s highest-ranking members.
The arrangement contrasts with the prosecution of other MS-13 suspects like Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who faces U.S. charges. Unlike the top leaders whose cases were dropped, Abrego Garcia’s connections to MS-13 are less clear, and his crimes are considered less serious.
The ongoing diplomatic and legal complexities surrounding MS-13, El Salvador, and the U.S. highlight the challenges of combating transnational crime amid shifting political alliances.
Critics warn that shielding top MS-13 leaders undermines justice and may embolden gang activity both in the U.S. and abroad.
The Justice Department has yet to clarify if further high-profile MS-13 prosecutions will be affected by similar agreements with foreign governments.
For now, two major MS-13 figures have avoided U.S. prosecution, raising concerns about the administration’s priorities and the influence of foreign policy considerations on criminal justice.
The full implications of the Trump administration’s decisions remain under scrutiny as legal and diplomatic reviews continue.
The post DOJ Drops Narco-Terrorism Charges Against Top MS-13 Leaders appeared first on Resist the Mainstream.
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Author: Anthony Gonzalez
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