Rafa, a leader of the powerful Barrio 18 gang in El Salvador, was one of the few ringleaders who had managed to flee the country after the crackdown against them by Nayib Bukele’s government under a state of emergency. Rafa wanted to go back to being a nobody, to keep a low profile, but in 2023, a phone call changed all his plans. The police needed something from him, and if they didn’t get it, his family would pay for his crimes.
This is the first part of the story. You can listen to the second part here.
Find the English transcript of “El palabrero. Part 1: The Secret Agent” here. Or check out the Spanish transcript here.
This story is a co-production with the Salvadoran digital newspaper El Faro.