Shockwaves are reverberating through legal and political circles as the US government seeks to drop serious criminal charges against Vladimir Antonio Arevalo-Chavez, a top MS-13 leader, citing “diplomatic reasons” for his deportation to El Salvador. This unprecedented request, outlined in newly unsealed court documents, is stirring intense controversy, with critics and the defendant’s legal team alleging it’s a strategic move to benefit Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele.
Arevalo-Chavez is believed to possess crucial insights into a covert 2019 agreement between Bukele’s government and MS-13, a deal that allegedly provided the gang with resources in exchange for a reduction in violence and electoral support. The Justice Department’s use of “geopolitical and national security concerns” to justify dismissing racketeering, terrorism, and narco-terrorism charges is being widely questioned. This development, coupled with the recent quiet deportation of another MS-13 figure with similar knowledge, raises significant concerns about transparency and accountability in the relationship between the two governments.
Shockwaves as US Seeks to Drop Charges Against MS-13 Boss for Diplomatic Reasons
