El Salvador declares state of emergency amid killings

14 people were killed on Friday and 62 people died on Saturday, a scale of violence that has not been seen for years

El Salvador's congress granted President Nayib Bukele request to declare a state of emergency early Sunday amid a wave of gang-related killings over the weekend.

14 people were killed on Friday and 62 people died on Saturday, a scale of violence that has not been seen for years. By comparison, there were 79 homicides in the entire month of February.

Mr. Bukele announced the request Saturday in his social media accounts, and congress approved it early Sunday. The decree would suspend constitutional guarantees of freedom of assembly and loosen arrest rules for as much as thirty days, but could be extended.

The homicides appeared linked to the country's notorious street gangs, who effectively control many neighbourhoods in the capital. The National Police reported they has captured five leaders of the Mara Salvatrucha or MS-13, who they claimed ordered the weekend killings.

Mr. Bukele announced the request in his social media accounts, and taunted those who opposed the measure, saying: “Is the opposition coming out to defend the gang members?”

While Mr. Bukele has tried to project a tough attitude on crime, the country's enormously powerful street gangs have proved a double-edged sword for him.