As many may wonder why is this city and country is so high in reported deaths, the gangs knows as the MS13 (Mara Salvatrucha) and the Calle 18 could tell you exactly why. "We are going to respect their territory, but let them also respect our territory, so that the violence decreases," is what a member of the Calle 18 told CNN reports in a interview. (CNN.com) The two gangs are in a war against each over power and territory. Gangs such as these can be compared to other criminal organizations such as the Italian Mafia as they share many same characteristics. Gangs of this magnitude such as the MS 13, estimated to have over 10,000 members worldwide will claim territories in which they control. Within these territories there are many businesses and vendors in which these gangs will bring in revenue aside from drugs but going to these businesses and vendors charging them a fee every month that they say is for protection. These fee’s are typically set very high and if they can not afford to pay it they must close down their business but if they fail to do so without paying they will receive a quite gruesome consequence which normally is death.
As the government try’s to persuade the two gangs to create a peace treaty in attempts to lower the murder rate, which was proven successful in the neighboring country of El Salvador which reported a dramatic decrease of murders of 52%, there are many factors in which are preventing this treaty to happen. "We cannot have a truce with other people who do not think like we do,"(CNN.com) is what said to reporters by an MS 13 representative, in other words saying we will not do a peace treaty unless the
References: Henslin, J. (2013). Essentials of Sociology: A down-to-earth approach. (10th ed.) New York: Pearson Publishing. Sandoval, E. (2013, May 28). Gangs Talk Truce in World Murder Capital. CNN. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/28/world/americas/honduras-gang-truce/index.html?hpt=wo_c2