El Salvador: Mean Streets
14 minutes, 1997
Ref: 26

During the 1980s, television brought the war in El Salvador to our living rooms - a war of right-wing death squads, government soldiers and leftist guerrillas. The country is still under siege, but the war today is imported -- straight from the United States. We look at the gang culture of San Salvador's “Mean Streets” and the violence that afflicts young Salvadorians. Veterans of the war say the gang violence is worse than during the war. This is a visually strong report and provides incredible access to the gangs leaders and their activities and initiation ceremonies.