Marked for death, the tattoo gang kidshttp://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2004/sep/05/peterbeaumont.sandrajordanMara is the term that is known to gang youth in Central America, Mexico and the United States. Originating in Central America for the return of huge numbers of immigrants deported from the U.S. crime, transferred to recreate conditions at the national level, those conditions of marginalization, violence, crime and survival, learned and developed in the deportees in the various places in which managed to stay. To this are added the youth of marginalized social sectors, forming a social threat by the possible violence with which they act much outward as inward of these groups.
Basically a single Mara conforms with thousands of youth gangs known as cliques or cells that are characterized as:
1. Mara Salvatrucha (MS). The term is unique to Mara Mara Salvatrucha. The Mara Salvatrucha is also known in America as the MS-13.
With the increase in people returning each day, the social phenomenon was not only a national, regional also, so that by the early twenty-first century, in almost all Central America is known as "Maras" mainly to youth groups, whether type crime, organized crime or simply young neighborhood meetings with something in common.
Additionally the phenomenon is exacerbated since the introduction of drug consumption and wide crack, marijuana, or inhalants shoemakers glue, heroin and other, which are marketed and consumed in the country for these groups of gangsters.
Given that governments have exploited the situation politically, making electoral promises establishing plans to combat the Mara, as a tough plan, which adds another type of violence to existing socially in El Salvador, whose main components repressive are both in the legal, police and prison. Without attacking the root problem or social causes, politics, etc.. That originate from gangs.
The growth of gangs has its counterpart in the increase in remittances sent by Central Americans living abroad, which to date has become the main economic flow that sustains local economies and crime by shifting the main products of export of the contribution to GDP of the country.
They are also known to migrate to the U.S. and continue criminal activities into other countries, inadequacy and lack of education, in addition to wanting to achieve the American dream, in several countries carried out a wave of social rehabilitation programs promoted among others by former members of these gangs and their admission to cultural and sporting events to save them from the violent world in which they live and achieve social peace and contribute to growth and development of society in which they live.
Their main source of income, besides the U.S. remittances are the extortion of the population having a standard of living. Such extortions are compulsory and no reasonable negotiations, since the consequences are appalling.
Importantly, the fact that gangs, despite its origins in the battles between Mexican and Salvadoran immigrants in Los Angeles, and had its epicenter in El Salvador to be forcibly repatriated many delinquents by the U.S. government to end civil war in El Salvador in the early 90s, has spread in neighboring Guatemala and Honduras. In fact, in the latter, the situation of crime and violence revolving around gangs has increased to levels much higher than in El Salvador ... what do you think the idea?
Another mistake is to say that the Mara Salvatrucha was born in El Salvador and so is El Salvador. The MS was born in a suburb of Los Angeles, California, therefore is a U.S. gang. In the Mara Salvatrucha are Americans, Salvadorans, Ecuadorians, Hondurans, Guatemalans, Nicaraguans, Mexicans, although it is believed that its meaning is Satanic Mara. In the case of Honduras, the maras becomes a problem since the elimination of compulsory military service, later these became gangsters or thugs drug cartels who are paid their services to protect their cargoes, with drugs, then they marketed and consumed it within the camera is most addicted, and those who are behind the camera is difficult to leave, but the states of the region should undertake programs that attack the root of the problem: family disintegration, unemployment, education , work opportunities etc.
Young people from these gangs draw tattoos on their bodies to establish group membership. This can be seen from an anthropological point of view, because in various tribes especially in Africa and Oceania tattoos are required to distinguish individuals in relation to social status and hierarchy he occupies in this society. The case of the young gang is assimilated, as they tattooed their bodies to tell the story who have lived and this gives them recognition, the more tattoos you have on the body, has lived more stories. Using the tattoo gives paramount importance to youth gang members.
