Fact Check: "Mara Salvatrucha is another name for MS-13."
What We Know
Mara Salvatrucha, commonly referred to as MS-13, is a transnational gang that originated in Los Angeles during the 1980s. The term "Mara Salvatrucha" itself is a combination of the word "Mara," which means "gang" in El Salvador, and "Salvatrucha," which is thought to refer to Salvadoran street smarts (Department of Justice Fact Sheet, Wikipedia). The "13" in MS-13 signifies the gang's association with the Mexican Mafia, which uses the number 13 as a symbol (Mara Salvatrucha - Overview).
The gang primarily consists of immigrants or descendants of immigrants from El Salvador and has been involved in various criminal activities, including extortion, drug trafficking, and violent crimes (MS-13: A Gang Profile, BBC).
Analysis
The claim that "Mara Salvatrucha is another name for MS-13" is supported by multiple credible sources. The Department of Justice explicitly states that MS-13 is short for "La Mara Salvatrucha" (Department of Justice Fact Sheet). This aligns with the information provided by other sources, including academic articles and news reports, which confirm that the terms are interchangeable and refer to the same gang (MS-13: A Gang Profile, Wikipedia).
The reliability of these sources is high. The Department of Justice is a governmental authority, and its publications are typically well-researched and fact-checked. Similarly, academic articles and reputable news outlets like BBC provide thorough analyses and are regarded as trustworthy sources of information.
Conclusion
Verdict: True
The claim that "Mara Salvatrucha is another name for MS-13" is accurate. Both terms refer to the same gang, with "Mara Salvatrucha" being the full name and "MS-13" serving as an abbreviation. The evidence from multiple authoritative sources confirms this relationship.
