Mon Sep 09 15:17:12 UTC 2024: ## El Salvador’s Police Chief Killed in Helicopter Crash Amid Crackdown on Gangs

**SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador** – Mauricio Arriaza Chicas, the head of El Salvador’s National Civil Police and a key figure in the country’s ongoing war on gangs, was killed on Monday in a helicopter crash. The crash also claimed the lives of several other officials, including two high-ranking commissioners, a corporal, a sergeant, two lieutenant pilots, and David Cruz, the head of communications for the justice ministry.

The helicopter was transporting Manuel Coto, a former credit union manager under police custody, following his arrest in Honduras for alleged embezzlement of $35 million. Arriaza had personally received Coto at the border with Honduras before the fatal crash.

The crash occurred near Pasaquina, about 112 miles east of the capital, San Salvador. President Nayib Bukele expressed his condolences and vowed to investigate the incident thoroughly, calling for international assistance to determine the cause.

Arriaza, who led El Salvador’s crackdown on criminal gangs since March 2022, had overseen the arrest of nearly 82,000 suspected gang members under a system allowing arrests without warrants. The president praised Arriaza’s contribution to bringing peace and security to the country.

The president’s tough stance on gangs, while popular with many Salvadorans, has been criticized by human rights groups for its potential for abuses.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

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