Southern in El Salvador: An Anthropological Approach to the Deported Gangs

Abstract

The South system (or, taken like acronym, “Southern United Raza”) reunites to diverse gangs groups, called “Sureños” which are distinguished and located in contrast to other systems of gangs who are generic and broad way could be called “no-Sureñas”. The groups, the profiles and the Sureñas idiosyncrasies are diverse and they do not constitute “a” group in the strict sense of the term; rather one is a multiplicity of groups that share an identity and a form to be and to behave, in the individual thing and in the group. Theirs members of gangs belong to a complex of gangs system restored decades back in cities of the south of the state of California by children of Hispanic immigrants. The one is a complex system of a hybrid and Creole way is settling to sped up more and more in the cities of El Salvador. It is the establishment of this system, and in general the deported way to live on the Sureños in the country, which tries to explore itself in this work of investigation. The objective of the study is to examine, to describe and to explain the cultural systems as the concrete actions of the Sureñas bands in El Salvador, in which it would represent a first ethnographic approach them in the country. The methodology of this investigation is varied and includes technical like the documentary revision, the interviews in depth and, mainly, the ethnography. Between the consulted informants they appear members and ex- members of Sureñas gangs, officials government and other informants nail that they know the operation the South. The findings and the conclusions medulares approach subjects like the South system, the types of Sureños and their activities, the South in El Salvador, the perspective of the State and other forms of Sureños in El Salvador.

Realidad y Reflexión Año 14, N° 39: 7-49