Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Ottawa

1. Background

Sources indicate that, by executive decree, the armed forces were assigned to assist the National Police to improve public security (CDHES 14 May 2013; El Salvador June 2010, 45). A June 2010 publication by the armed forces indicates that Executive Decree No. 70 establishes the relationship between the National Police and the armed forces in order for them to execute preventative anti-crime operations in the national territory (ibid.). The Decree also references the Security Plan, which outlines the coordination strategies between the two groups (ibid.). Executive Decree No. 70 created Task Force Zeus (ibid.), which includes Task Force Ares (UCA 20 Apr. 2010).

Decree 70 of 2009, which amended Decree No. 60 of 2009, indicates the following:

[translation]

Art. 1.- Replace Art. 1 with the following:

Art. 1.- Deploy the Armed Forces for 180 days from the coming into force hereof, to support the National Civilian Police in internal peacekeeping operations, by planning and executing joint crime prevention operations, and joint prevention, deterrence and apprehension operations throughout the national territory; for this purpose, the human and material resources of the Armed Forces will be used to achieve greater public order and security.

Art. 2. Replace Art. 2 with the following:

Art. 2. To comply with the terms of the previous article, the provisions and measures necessary for the Armed Forces to collaborate with and support the National Civilian Police must be specified in a security plan containing interinstitutional coordination strategies, which must be issued by the President of the Republic and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, with the support of the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, the Ministry of National Defense and the National Civilian Police; the plan must confer the following authority:

1. Authorize the inclusion of more elements in the Armed Forces;
2. Operate with Armed Forces task forces or with joint community support groups in coordination with the National Civilian Police, through the identification of specific high-crime territories or geographical areas;
3. Inspect or search people and vehicles; and support territorial control mechanisms;
4. Assist the public in accidents or emergencies, and at the request of the legally constituted authorities;
5. Detain criminals caught in the act and immediately turn them over to the National Civilian Police, with a detailed report of the circumstances and events;
6. Protect the national border at places identified as not authorized, in order to prevent the illegal traffic or movement of goods and people;
7. Strengthen external perimeter security in penal institutions, penitentiaries, jails and youth detention facilities, and at any other type of prison, at the request of the competent authority;
8. Provide land, sea and air support with equipment and qualified personnel;
9. Meet other support requirements of the National Civilian Police, in the context of this decree and its constitutional basis.

…

Art. 5. This decree shall come into force on November 6, 2009, and remain in effect for 180 days from that date. (El Salvador 2009)

2. Task Force Zeus

This task force is composed of the following task forces: Ares, Marte, Apolo, Cronos, Beta, Hermes, Poseidón (RESDAL 2012, 194), and Delta (UCA 20 Apr. 2010). A report by the Latin American Security and Defense Network (Red de Seguridad y Defensa de América Latina, RESDAL), with information provided by the Ministry of Defense of El Salvador, indicates that Task Force Zeus participates in [translation] "public security"-related activities (RESDAL 2012, 194). RESDAL is a think tank for studies on security and defense in Latin America, and is financed by the governments of Canada and Norway, among other organizations (ibid. n.d.). An article published on the website of the Faculty of Communication at the Central American University "José Simeón Cañas" (Universidad Centroamericana "José Simeón Cañas," UCA) and based on information from the commander of Task Force Zeus, indicates that among the duties carried out by Task Force Zeus are searches, checkpoints, captures, and patrols (UCA 20 Apr. 2010).

The armed forces publication indicates that, in accordance with the Security Plan, Task Force Zeus operates particularly in Santa Ana, Sonsonate, San Miguel, Ciudad Arce, Quezaltepeque, San Salvador, Nejapa, and Soyapango (El Salvador June 2010, 45). The UCA article indicates that the localities where this Task Force operates are Soyapango, Apopa, Quezaltepeque, Ciudad Delgado, San Jacinto, and Tonacatepeque (UCA 20 Apr. 2010). The report by RESDAL indicates the following areas of operation for the different tasks forces that integrate Task Force Zeus:

• Task Force Hermes: Sonsonate, Nahuilingo, San Antonio del Monte, Sonzacate, and Acajutla;
• Task Force Apolo: Colón, Ciudad Arce, Quezaltepeque, San Juan Opico;
• Task Force Marte: San Salvador, Soyapango;
• Task Force Poseidón: San Miguel;
• Task Force Beta: San Pedro Perulapán;
• Task Force Cronos: Apopa, Tonacatepeque, Nejapa; and
• Task Force Ares: Santa Ana and Atiquizaya (2012, 194).

In correspondence sent to the Research Directorate, a representative of the Human Rights Commission of El Salvador (Comisión de Derechos Humanos de El Salvador, CDHES) indicated that Task Force Ares covers the region of Santa Ana (CDHES 14 May 2013).

The UCA article indicates that Task Force Zeus is composed of 4,000 security forces (20 Apr. 2010), and the RESDAL report indicates that the number of soldiers is 1,900 (2012, 194).

2.1 Task Force Ares

Media sources report on the following operations carried out by Task Force Ares:

• On 19 April 2010, Esalmundotv.com, a news source on El Salvador based in the US, reported the detention in Santa Ana of one individual for [translation] "illicit associations," another for smuggling, and a third individual for threatening another person.
• On 4 May 2010, Esalmundotv.com reported the detention in Santa Ana of three people for "resisting authority," two people for "public disturbance," and two members of Mara Salvatrucha 13 (MS 13) for "resisting authority."
• On 10 November 2011, La Página, a digital newspaper based in San Salvador, reported the detention in Santa Ana of two people for [translation] "illegally carrying a weapon," and two more people accused of "illicit associations."
• Cadena Cuscatlan, a radio station in El Salvador, reported the detention of eight people accused of different crimes in Santa Ana (n.d.a). Information on the nature of the crimes and on when the arrests took place could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.
• Another Cadena Cuscatlan report indicates that Task Force Ares detained five people in Santa Ana accused of [translation] "drug possession, resistance, and illegally carrying weapons" (n.d.b).

On 12 September 2011, El País, a San Salvador-based newspaper, reported that Task Force Ares carried out a medical outreach event in the community of Gertrudis in the Santa Ana municipality with services such as [translation] "coordinating appointments with physicians, gynaecologists, hair dressers, and providing information on gender issues," benefitting around 300 people. On 21 June 2012, Elsalvador.com, a news source based in San Salvador, reported that the Task Force carried a medical outreach event in the neighbourhood of San Francisco with services such as [translation] "coordinating appointments with physicians, dentists, gynaecologists, paediatricians, ophthalmologists, and setting up appointments for vaccinations," benefiting around 700 people.

2.1.1 Reports of Human Rights Abuses by Task Force Ares

Sources report the arrest and detention of a soldier from the Second Brigade in Santa Ana alongside nine gang members accused of attacking and killing a student from the National Academy of Public Security (Academia Nacional de Seguridad Pública, ANSP) on 13 February 2011 (Elsalvador.com 14 Feb. 2011; La Prensa Gráfica 14 Feb. 2011). According to a report by La Prensa Gráfica, a San Salvador-based newspaper, a police officer indicated that the detained soldier is part of Task Force Ares (ibid.). Further information on human rights abuses by Task Force Ares could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

3. "Plan Rana"

Information on "Plan Rana" could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Cadena Cuscatlan [San Salvador]. N.d.a. "Patrullajes de Fuerza Armada concluye con varias detenciones." [Accessed 3 June 2013]

_____. N.d.b. "Más detenciones realiza la Fuerza Armada a nivel nacional." [Accessed 3 June 2013]

Comisión de Derechos Humanos de El Salvador (CDHES). 14 May 2013. Correspondence sent to the Research Directorate by a representative.

El Salvador. June 2010. Fuerza Armada de El Salvador. Revista Docente. Año 16, No. 30. [Accessed 3 June 2013]

_____. 2009. Decreto 70. [Accessed 3 June 2013]

Elsalvador.com [San Salvador]. 21 June 2012. Emilia Pacheco. "Benefician a población con jornada médica en Santa Ana." [Accessed 3 June 2013]

_____. 14 February 2011. Emilia Pacheco. "Capturas por muerte de alumno." [Accessed 4 June 2013]

Esalmundotv.com [United States]. 4 May 2010. Luis Orellana. "Comando Zeus reporta 8 detenciones en las últimas horas." [Accessed 3 June 2013]

_____. 19 April 2010. Luis Orellana. "Fuerza de Tarea ARESs realiza varias capturas en diferentes puntos de Santa Ana." [Accessed 3 June 2013]

La Página [San Salvador]. 10 November 2011. "Comando Zeus aprehende dos sujetos con armas." [Accessed 3 June 2013]

El País [San Salvador]. 12 September 2011. "Santa Ana: jornada médica de Ares." [Accessed 3 June 2013]

La Prensa Gráfica [San Salvador]. 14 February 2011. "Detienen a presuntos atacantes de alumno ANSP en Santa Ana." [Accessed 3 June 2013]

Red de Seguridad y defensa de América Latina (RESDAL). 2012. Atlas comparativo de la defensa en América Latina y Caribe. [Accessed 3 June 2013]

_____. N.d. "Quiénes somos." [Accessed 3 June 2013]

Universidad Centroamericana José Simeón Cañas, UCA. 20 April 2010. Juliana Soto and Eduardo Svendblad. "De las trincheras a las calles." [Accessed 3 June 2013]

Additional Sources Consulted

Oral sources: Attempts to contact representatives from the following organization were unsuccessful: Procuraduría para la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos.

Representatives from the following organizations could not provide information: InSight Crime, Instituto para la Seguridad y la Democracia; Small Arms Survey.

Internet sites, including: Amnesty International; Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador; Council on Hemispheric Affairs; ecoi.net; El Faro; El Mundo; El Salvador – Centro de Documentación Judicial, Corte Suprema de Justicia, Fiscalía General de la República, Ministerio de Justicia y Seguridad Pública, Policía Nacional Civil; Factiva; Freedom House; InfoSurHoy.com; InSight Crime; International Law Enforcement Academy; The Jamestown Foundation; Jane's Terrorism and Security Monitor; Organization of American States; Réseau d'information et de solidarité avec l'Amérique latine; Transparency International; TrustLaw; United Nations – Office on Drugs and Crime, ReliefWeb; United States – Embassy in San Salvador; Universidad de El Salvador.