On 3 December 2022, President Nayib Bukele announced the deployment of approximately 10,000 security personnel to the eastern Soyapango municipality in the capital San Salvador to curb gang violence. Security forces surrounded the municipality and blocked roads leading to the area while conducting search operations for gang members. Bukele posted images of troops in military vehicles carrying heavy weaponry, artillery, helmets and bulletproof vests. The security force deployment comes amid the government’s recent crackdown on gang activity in El Salvador, which has resulted in the arrests of more than 58,000 suspected gang members.