Another Suspected "Mara"
Detained in Costa Rica
Another suspected
Salvadorian gang member
has been detained by
immigration police in
Guanacaste. The Policía
de Migración suspect the
man was in Costa Rica to
recruit members for "Las
Maras".
According to immigration
and the Dirección de
Inteligencia y Seguridad
Nacional (DIS) -
national intelligence
service - the man was
captured Friday in
Filadelfia, Guanacaste.
Juan Manuel Rivera
Hernández bears tatoos
on his skin that leads
Costa Rica authorities
to believe he is a
member of Las Maras and
is believed to have a
criminal record in his
country and are looking
to deport him.
However, Rivera
disclaims his
involvement with Las
Maras and assures
authorities that he is
in Costa Rica legally
and have no reason to
deport him.
Earlier this month,
immigration officials
detained a member of the
"Mara 18" while
attempting to enter
Costa Rica at Peñas
Blancas, the northern
border crossing point
with Nicaragua.
Maras (or marabuntas)
are gangs originating
from Central American
countries such as El
Salvador, Honduras and
Guatemala. Maras are
particularly active in
the United States mainly
in California and
Washington D.C.. The
word mara is a
Salvadoran Spanish slang
for 'group of
people/mob/gang'. As in
English, the word
evolved from meaning a
"group of friends" to a
"group of criminals."
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