The Origin of the Mara Salvatrucha

[Lonewolf]

Gangs of LA; The Origin of the Mara Salvatrucha, and its War Versus Eighteen Street.

It’s not that the shot-caller from the Fulton Locos clique was anything for trucing, in fact, he hadn't acquired the moniker of Satan for promoting any types of peace pacts with the enemies.

Satan was the shot caller of the MS13 clique in the San Fernando Valley. He was born Ernesto Deras. At first appearances Satan looked like the typical Salvadoran immigrant, a skinny twenty something young man with very little facial hair, and of small medium stature. He was sort of quiet and reserved, he spoke with like a tired voice, slow and deliberate, almost like a slurred-whisper, but never one to be loud; those who knew him could tell you that they never heard him be a loud-mouth, not even to have heard him bust out in laughter; he appeared to be someone caught in an infinite sadness. Satan wasn't much of a Rambo type figure but he had received U.S. Special Forces (Green Berets) training with the Salvadoran Army Immediate Reaction Battalion. Satan could dismantle and put back together all types of weaponry; He knew combat tactics and ambush set ups, he had trained in small unit operations, and he understood the strategies that go with the importance of holding ground (holding down turf); he had received some of the best military training while with the Salvadoran Army, and it was precisely his military abilities that converted him in little less than a year’s time, into the shot caller of one of the strongest MS13 cliques of the times. To say that is no small feat, because within the street gang world protocols, almost no one goes from a jumped-in initiate, into one who calls the shots for a clique within the time span of one year, -unheard of in most circles.

Satan had come to the U.S. like most other Salvadoran immigrants, -fleeing the civil war. He had arrived here like most, hidden and scared like a overcautious animal. But Satan had been trained for war, and most likely had already been in plenty of action, so he was not one to easily peace up with the enemies; that is why in 1993, when a few top ranking homeboys from his gang approached him, they tried hard to explain to him and convince him to attend the meeting that was to take place in which members from La Eme had set up to square things up; they had to convince him that this was a serious matter, and that the Senores de La Eme were best not to be reproached or given a bad face.


The MS gang to which Satan had incorporated himself into, at the time was considered an outsider gang, not within the system. It operated outside the Eme structure, so it had to either be brought in, or it had to be dealt with, with extreme prejudice.

..to be continued

http://brownkingdom.forumotion.com/t30- ... alvatrucha

[Lonewolf]

When the Salvadorans started arriving en-masse to California during the late 70s and 80s seeking refuge from the horror of the civil war which engulfed their homeland, the Mexicans and their descendants in LA, the Chicanos, they already had decades of having organized themselves into gangs; they had organized in part to make an affront to the ruling white-Anglo society. They fought against the discriminating forces of society; and yet they themselves were not pre-disposed in extending a welcoming mat for the new Salvadoran population arriving to the barrios of LA. That’s why when these young Salvatrucos formed their own gang, it was in large part to deal with the black and brown menace set against them in the city. The Chicanos looked down on the Salvadorans, and they saw the MS gang as an aberration, something not from the old structure, even something to puke about.

It wasn't easy for MS to be the new gang on the block, and it was all made worse by not being of the same ethnic or national background like the Chicanos. But just like in any ecosystem, the creature learns to adapt and survive; it is necessary to learn fast who eats who in the wild. When MS appeared on the scene, they learned quick the long established fact on the streets, and that was that each gang can be either the victim or the predator, and in that same street system, in that food chain, there was only one at the very top; the Mexican Mafia with its shot callers whom after all is said and done, they were the ones who decided who could play in the larger scheme of things, and who didn't. MS up to that time could not play; they were as yet not in the Sureno camp.

Satan had begun to be the shot caller for the Fulton Locos in 1991. At that time the Fulton Locos was the only MS clique in the whole San Fernando Valley. During that era, there were some 75+ gangs in the valley, and each were at war with their own respective enemies, but they all had as a common enemy La Mara Salvatrucha.
In knowing that the MS Fulton clique was the universal enemy of all the SFV gangs, it created a mindset within the Fulton Locos which hardened them and turned them into a very vicious and violent clique. Those years of being on everybody’s scope made them not trust anyone, and that’s why in 1993 when Satan was approached with the invite to attend the meeting of SFV gangs, his military and street sabe instincts told him that it could be a trap, and to plan a way out; to have an exit strategy, or at the very least -in a worse case scenario- to ensure that the MS Homies de La Fulton would not be the only ones ending up stretched out on the streets because of an ambush.

On Halloween night, 1993, two mediators were able to bring together for the first time ever, dozens of SFV gangs and drew them to a meeting at a park in the Pacoima neighborhood. Not one single violent problem occurred during that first meeting.

The mediators were the ex-kick boxing world champion, William “Blinky” Rodriguez and his socio Big D. They had been compas since infancy, and both had been players turned born-again Christians. After their conversion, they had embarked on a mission to bring about a peace treaty between all the gangs in the valley; an absurd idea; a doomed crusade, or so it seemed to most heads at the time. But this celestial business had a darker side since both of them had gotten a greenlight from La Eme to gather up the gangs, and La Eme had even assured them the co-operation of the gangs shot-callers. In essence, the Black Hand flag was behind the meeting.


At the meeting, Blinky and Big D preached to the gangs the Good News of The LORD, and invited them to get closer to GOD; they also wanted them (the gangs) to try and resolve their problems through communication; to talk with each other.

And so it happened that the attending media looked at all of that with raised eyebrows and skepticism; they just could not believe what was taking place right before their eyes; it seemed that the impossible was becoming a reality.. From that day on meetings began to take place on the regular every Sunday. As it was expected, La Mara Salvatrucha was the last gang to get an invite.

Satan had been aware of the meetings taking place, and he knew that the invitation for his gang was soon coming.


To be continued..

http://brownkingdom.forumotion.com/t30- ... alvatrucha

[Lonewolf]

“They came looking for me; they caught my attention and made some sense to me, so I told them alright, we’ll go, not to make peace, but so no one would say that we were scared to go. I told them that we would be there for next Sunday’s meeting, but they said to hold up some; that they had to go and prepare things, make it alright for us to go in there without a hassle.

We threw a meeting and I said to the Homeboys that it looked like the Eme jefes appeared to be behind this all of it, but that just in case it wasn't all right, to make sure they took their cuetes with them, nomas.

We were the last ones to arrive at the park, something like 30 of us went in, and another ten or so stayed outside; those outside had the fuscas, and they knew what they had to do in case things didn’t work out right. The gang of us went in there saying, salimos o no salimos!

The park was full of gangs, and everybody stood up and took notice when we walked in, some of their homeboys right away started talking shit, but nothing happened. There was a lot of media there, and when they got word that it was La Mara walking in, right away they focused in on us. But the Homeboys blew them off, and didn't respond to their barrage of questions; neither did they pose for pictures like they wanted us to. One of the event organizers asked me to remove my lid out of respect.”

Just so as to be real clear to everyone there, who it was that they would be talking to at the meeting, Satan had walked in there all dressed down, and on his lid it read “fuck everybody.”

The Fulton shot caller had gone in to that park with an attitude of defiance. Blinky worried that the words on that hat would spark up some serio pedo, so he asked Satan –with the best manners and words possible- for him to remove his hat. El Satan agreed, without giving it that much importance.

And so it was that first day of peace for La Mara Salvatrucha.


To be continued…

[Lonewolf]

There are those in the generic world who believe que La Mara Salvatrucha was born on 13th street, west side of downtown LA. Even the presidente of El Salvador, Mauricio Funes, has said it in public without a blush. The problem is that 13 street doesn't exist on the west side; in its place –in this huge metropolis filled with avenues, streets and alleys filled with gangs- is the exquisite Pico Boulevard running parallel in-between 12th street and 14th street which appears and disappears from block to block on the city map grid; symbolic of the restructured and redeveloped city landscape.

Then there are those who believe que La Mara broke off from 18 Street due to some internal problems. That’s how it happens many times in the world of great promises and in the streets of glory where fragile loyalties exist, and all the gangs live under that everlasting reality of dealing with their own internal politics which at times break them off each other.

18 Street itself was born at the end of the 1940s; born out of a rift (fracture) with the veteran C14 gang. Clanton 14 was born in the early part of the century, and by the 1920s, they were a well-renowned force on the streets of LA., C14 is one of the oldest LA gangs still keeping it going, both in the city, the state and even in the far-wide spaces of the continent.

But none of the MS history was like that, because in fact MS was not a break off of 18 Street, and neither did 18 Street spawn it. The true fact about the 13 in MS13 is plain and simple; allegiance to La Eme y nada mas! Eme being the Lords of ALL the Southern Califas Latin street gang system.

MS was late, very late in getting their 13 stamped on, but it was because they had done well without it for a long time; a decade’s time. They hadn't cared for it, and they felt that their attitude and numbers could hold them up forever.

In the late 1970s La Mara were just bands of disorganized Centros; raggedy heavy metal rockeros doing drogas. MSS fell in with the label of the times – Los Stoners- same as many others around the city like the Mid City Stoners and The Hole Stoners from East Los. Los Stoner groups were everywhere; smoking, toking, drinking, puro jugo y mota and whatever. The Stoners where at every barrio park in the city!

In those early years not one of the Mara Stoners was above 18 years of age. Most Salvatrucos had in fact, just barely arrived here. They had landed here clinging to their jefitos pants and skirts; running from the war back home; running away from the pobreza. They were amongst the most recent arrivals to the great big City of Angels, and as yet, they could not even claim a piece of corner concrete; much less, claim any territory. The streets they landed in were filled with Afro-American or Mexico-Americano gangs.

Even to this very day, to speak of the Mara Stoners is to invoke the pure unequivocal and most authentic history of the gang. Inside La Mara those still with the hazy memory of early history will still pass it down going back to the Pico Union and Westlake neighborhoods starting out as the MSS –Mara Salvatrucha Stoners- the original gangsters who got it together. All those first originals; all those early first players, none of them remain alive, they’re all gone, they’re all D.E.P. (Descanza En Paz).

That is the prestigious inheritance into which every initiate is jumped-in to. That is the conscientious worded tradition of the varrio, as it is passed down. Not no break off from Eighteen Street, not anything else but a pure Salvatruco Stoner background having to step it up and do battle for survival. That is straight Mara Salvatrucha pride!

Hazy histories are somewhat on the regular in the Lore of the Barrios, but it is well documented in LAPD records; the memory of the MSS groups going back to the year 1975, and even UC investigator Tom Ward vouches to the existence of MS crowds forming the nucleus of cliques, as early as the year 1978.


But there’s really no set time stamped for the start of MS., Some of the oldest still walking the earth Salvatrucos attest to the fact that at the end of the 1970s, the original crowd hanged out at the 7-11 at the corner of Westmoreland and James Wood (9th Street). That was the very first organized clique of La Mara Salvatrucha; some dozen Stoners who habitually kicked it at the spot. The names (monikers) of the original crazies are somewhat blurry, and yet even to this day, whether in El Salvador or LA, the Westmoreland Locotes still jumps in vatos into their clique.

Traditionally, that was where it all began.


To be continued...

http://brownkingdom.forumotion.com/t30- ... alvatrucha

[NewChinaTown626]

good shit. Always enjoy some good history. Accept me into your forum!

[jeff]

the first post is some of the best writing i've ever read. excellent work.

[Quepolo3]

@ Martinez- In the article it referred to The Hole Stoners from E. LA. Is that a Different set than THE LOTT 13? I know that you have the answer. Appreciate you sharing!

[HungryWolf]

Best stuff I read in long time. Good work, wolf!

[Lonewolf]

A lot of the young Salvatrucos had nothing more going for them other than rock concerts and to raise their fist in locura, throwing up the devil horns. That was it, no mas!

Salvatrucos back then considered themselves nothing but rockeros (stoners). They wore torn-up jeans, long hair and t-shirts with heavy metal rock bands lettering on them. They considered themselves like every other white or rocker kid on the American continent; a rebel of society. Mara Stoners would get into fights with other kids that acted and dressed up like themselves. They did 459 audible, stole from cars, and some even committed 211 silent to support their needs, and they began to build up for themselves a bad ass reputation at the local schools like Berendo Junior High. Berendo is just like 4 blocks away from the cross streets of La Pico and Normandie; the heart of Immigrant El Salvador.

Nearing the Spring of 1984, the start of the LA Olympic Games was near, and City Hall implemented an undercover program to rid the streets -on the west side and south central- of any undesirables. Everything and everyone who did not fit in with the picturesque neat city image that was portrayed to the world had to be removed or scooped up and locked up.

In the midst of the Cold War era, in a planet with the shadow of nuclear holocaust looming overhead, LA represented a West versus East showcase, and nothing that detoured from that view was to be allowed to be seen. The City of LA had to present a scene of peace and security. The gangs had to be cleaned up from the streets, even if that was only for a few weeks time span.

The streets became like militarized zones with Police roadblocks and check points erected everywhere on the regular and street sweeps conducted on a nightly schedule. Dragnets happened all the time and all the habitual suspects were rounded up to be sent away for the summer. And the biggest and hardest black or chicano gangs were the first to be targeted. They were top on the list of the hidden agenda.


To be continued...

http://brownkingdom.forumotion.com/t30- ... alvatrucha

[Lonewolf]

good shit. Always enjoy some good history. Accept me into your forum!

every one is Welcomed To The Kingsdome
the invite is always there for every one

There ain't no haters in my house, your house!

[judastaugamma]

18th street was not from the 1940's. 60's-70's earliest.

and they didn't break from clanton.

they were wannabe clanton but rejected.

[judastaugamma]

every ms story i hear. they always try to bring up this war/war vets/military bs with the original ms vatos.

cuentos. fairy tales.

yeah those teenage metalhead budsmokers were army vets and special forces trained. please....

so what they joined the army at 10 then immigrated to america at 15 to become stoners?

[Lonewolf]

By the start of the Olympic Games the LAPD had decimated the gangs. The system had locked up so many of the hard cases and driven away so many others that it was scary. Shot callers were the first to go. Left without its main membership the Chicano gangs in the years of 1984 and 85 not only had to grapple with their internal clique problems, but they also had to duke it out with thee many other new up and coming neighborhood "ethnic" gangs like Los Mara, Pinoys, Koreans and AP's.
The void created by PD Special Forces all played out to La Mara’s benefit. La Mara then began to get organized and to install itself. La Mara of those years did not suffer the targeting by those same Police forces, neither did they suffer the internal conflicts of the long established gangs. All they (MS) had to worry about was to get Guanacos on board and organize them solid.

So without their main heads and solid gente, many of the Chicano gangs during those mid-80 years had to struggle hard on the streets. But La Mara didn’t have those same problems todavia. It had nothing but recruiting to do. And every day, more and more Salvatrucos arrived, and with those increasing numbers, the next step was to take over territory, make it safe for themselves to operate. Take over with fist and knives; take over with guns and terror, take over as much safe ground as possible; that was the mindset of the first people from La Mara Salvatrucha.

Already by that time (the mid 80s) La CHELE was a made member of La Mara. Even though she had been born back in El Salvador, she had been raised in LA. Early on in her tiny years, she was made fun by other immigrant kids because she didn’t speak Spanish that well, and she didn’t know all those games kids played back there. By the time she was eleven a friend of hers from school wanted her to clique up with 18 Street, but she wasn’t into that as yet. Then by age 13, she was ready; she had gotten tired of getting jumped and hassled by the youngsters from the other Chicano gangs around, so she decided to throw in with La Mara crowd.

Sam, El Aguila (The Eagle) –the mascot of the Olympic Games- is the culprit (es el culpable) of what La Mara became, she relates with a smile on her face.

"You know, everyone has a diff version of how La Mara went and took over territory from the Chicano gangs. Gangsters today will tell you what they heard or what they were told by their older homeboys; and even the young Guanacos Salvatrucos will tell you tall tales of how their older homeboys filled with valor and a warrior spirit battled for each corner and took over streets and alleys from the Mexican Style forces; of how MS took down all those weaker and less crazy crowds on the streets; made an impact, and a name for themselves; and so the story goes!.. But then.."

But then, there are other less epic versions. Like the one from a PLAYBOYS veterano; El Flaco who tells it like this, that in the early 80s; He was with the PBS Normandie Locos clique who controlled the spot at Normandie and 8Th Street, and the youngsters from MS where just that, youngsters left alone, guests at their house. But then he got shot up; went to the hospital and after several surgeries he still ended up in a wheelchair. Then after several long months in the hospital, when he got out, all the homeboys from the clique had either been locked up or had scattered. His old clique was almost all gone, and La Mara had taken over; La Mara had been a guest in their territory, but in the absence of any true PBS competition, they had gotten up and set up their own Normandie Locos clique which then went on to become in the history pages, one of the strongest MS cliques of all times! Thee ~> MS13 "Normandie Locos” ~> of previous PLAYBOYS history fame!

All in the absence of the PLAYBOYS on that same street corner!

To be continued…

http://brownkingdom.forumotion.com/t30- ... alvatrucha

[judastaugamma]

i wasn't hating on you, lonewolf.

i know you were just posting the story.

i was talking about the stories about ms from the streets back in days.

oh the og ms vatos were army vets, fought in the war, trained special forces.... blah blah blah.....

man, the war was in the 80's. they fought in the war then went back in time to start ms in 1978?

plus you enlist in the army for 3,4,5 years. when you're like 17-18.

how the hell you join a stoner gang when you in your 20's already?


yeah claim nowhere then come back with heads.... you need special forces training to learn to do that.

[Lonewolf]

i wasn't hating on you, lonewolf.

i know you were just posting the story.

i was talking about the stories about ms from the streets back in days.

oh the og ms vatos were army vets, fought in the war, trained special forces.... blah blah blah.....

man, the war was in the 80's. they fought in the war then went back in time to start ms in 1978?

plus you enlist in the army for 3,4,5 years. when you're like 17-18.

how the hell you join a stoner gang when you in your 20's already?


yeah claim nowhere then come back with heads.... you need special forces training to learn to do that.

I know you ain't hatin, somewhat., but JUMAS please., this is something way beyond the simple "American" indoctrinated understanding

IT IS ALIEN!

Something not understood ~> how that ALIEN mind works!

Same as the Chicano Mind

500 years of history surpass your 300 years of slavery!

[judastaugamma]

meh.....

a lot of that story smells like caca.

[Lonewolf]

meh.....

a lot of that story smells like caca.

is a story, JUDAS., that's all it is.

Listen and read between the lines, then maybe you can grasp some of it..
See what it is that makes it all happen on the streets from one era to another.

I got this twenty-something pages letter on MS that i'm all into right now., but that's not all i got on it

[xxx]

meh.....

a lot of that story smells like caca.

Man, you beat me to it

[Young Nile]

500 years of history surpass your 300 years of slavery!

wtf does slavery have to do with ANYTHING MS related...????

ahhh...

I remember you and your get down now...

[rocket18hgs]

not to hate lonewolf, pero le estás poniendo mucha crema a tus tacos. the story sounds good, but most of what you wrote doesn't make sense.

[alexalonso]

interesting, but need some sources, more dates and more info that could be verified.

[bgcasper]

[quote="judastaugamma"]meh.....

a lot of that story smells like caca.[/quote]dry it and get the authentik smell ...anyway nice reading thanks a lot wolf my opinion is that the 1st generation was them stoners but the one that put the gang on the violent side of the map must have been the 2nd or 3rd who got jump in the 80's at the moment were those rock and roll vatos needed force they had a comunity of young war vet fresh outa war who moved in that would make both story joining together

[Lonewolf]

yeah i was just doing my best in translating this long a s s story letter that i got., it ain't me putting any crema on any tacos., i was barely like on page 3 of the long a s s twenty something page story, but hey, if it all smells like caca, then why should i bother translating the rest for all of you to read., i'll leave it alone, mejor asi, so no one catches feelings and that's it., the rest will posted en my casa, page by page y ya estuvo

[bgcasper]

yeah i was just doing my best in translating this long a s s story letter that i got., it ain't me putting any crema on any tacos., i was barely like on page 3 of the long a s s twenty something page story, but hey, if it all smells like caca, then why should i bother translating the rest for all of you to read., i'll leave it alone, mejor asi, so no one catches feelings and that's it., the rest will posted en my casa, page by page y ya estuvo

por favor el lobo solitario ...at least slide the spanish version for those who like gangsta shit ...dont pay ettention to those little haters how come they spend year posting hatefull diss and never brang nun on the messa ...pero hay otros como el casper with a lot of respect for your post lobo !!!sso keep it craccin bro !!!!

[HungryWolf]

yeah i was just doing my best in translating this long a s s story letter that i got., it ain't me putting any crema on any tacos., i was barely like on page 3 of the long a s s twenty something page story, but hey, if it all smells like caca, then why should i bother translating the rest for all of you to read., i'll leave it alone, mejor asi, so no one catches feelings and that's it., the rest will posted en my casa, page by page y ya estuvo

Hey Lonewolf! I really appreciate your translation. I was always looking forward to your next post. Fuck them haters! Thank you, bro! Ain't nothing smelling like caca here!

[Tricky69]

Thank You, Lonewolf for the post. I guess that is why many are reluctant to post info on here because too many people criticize or try to ridicule one another. I believe it is because a lot of the things that happened in the past, do sound hard to believe. However, many of these stories are real. I was at the first and second peace treaty meeting out in the valle. I will not disclose what gang I was representing, but I was no shot caller. I was merely there because it was a sunday and it was hard to find any homies willing to wake up and go represent. Many were hung over or still taking hits. You know that crack was a motherfucker. I remember hearing that MS had arrived, but don't clearly remember seeing the shot caller. I vaguely remember hearing that they were in the house. I guess I was on the other side of the gym(David Gonzales Park, Pacoima). The different factions were staring at each other, focused on their main enemies i.e. SF and Pacoima etc.
During this same period we also were fueding with MS and I was shot at by them, but not hit. They were very active in the valle. However, we were kind of pressured to discuss a truce with all enemies, so we arranged one with MS. I remember clearly they showing up with women with Army fatigue hats and I was like wtf. These are some serious Mofo's, but nothing happened. We just discussed the truce and parted ways. The last I heard they migrated else where, causing noise through out the valle.I believe that some of the older ones present had some military experience. We also had a few Salvadorians in our hood. i remember one that was about 19 or 20 in the late 80s had some combat experience.
I agree with Alonso we just need to keep bringing the post and analyze them. Lets decipher fact from fiction in a respectful and intelligent manner.

[alexalonso]

there is a new book on the history of MS in LA by Thomas Ward.

[istekse818]

i wasn't hating on you, lonewolf.

i know you were just posting the story.

i was talking about the stories about ms from the streets back in days.

oh the og ms vatos were army vets, fought in the war, trained special forces.... blah blah blah.....

man, the war was in the 80's. they fought in the war then went back in time to start ms in 1978?

plus you enlist in the army for 3,4,5 years. when you're like 17-18.

how the hell you join a stoner gang when you in your 20's already?

The official war started in the 80s but the carnage in el Salvador started by the mid seventies guerillas and national guards were going at it and peasants and politicians were being kidnapped only to be found murdered on the streets...the communist fmln had many kids due to at the time not being a legit army it passes un laws but without q doubt sqlvadorian population was getting it's dose of daily gore if only bestgore.com was around then Salvadoriqns woups be reminded the horrors of war like in Syria
yeah claim nowhere then come back with heads.... you need special forces training to learn to do that.

[istekse818]

Im on mobile

[istekse818]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXIAiemy3X0

[istekse818]

ms13 18st beef



In the 80s, the best mirror of the Mara Salvatrucha gang veteran was 18, he already had 30 years of life. While other Chicano gangs rejected roots non-Mexican migrants, or even refused to receive those born in Mexico, decided to fly the flag only Chicano defined the Eighteen Street gang being open to Latino immigrants of diverse origins, enabling it to quickly become one of the largest gangs in Los Angeles. Even today, among its members, we use the term "the big one" to refer to the 18.

The geographical coincidence of certain cliques of both gangs, some paternalistic view of the 18th to the newcomers, and the strong presence of Salvadorans in their ranks, facilitated the affinity between the 18 and the Mara Salvatrucha. The two gangs walking together. Members of both went to the same parties and fought together against common enemies.

Some bloody Salvadoran dieciocheros admired in secret the identity of the Salvatrucha, who refused to be like the rest. If when I had been a Salvadoran gang like MS, they thought I would be 18 right now.

Many, to enter as the Playboys gang, had concealed and kept hiding for years that were from San Julian, Chinameca or Santa Rosa de Lima. Others, even in the plural pandilla18, had erased his accent not to be outdone, for one more. The Salvatruchos not forced themselves to speak as Chicanos or renounced their origin: it took the name of his gang.

A former gang of 18 remember that in the first 80 parties usually coincided with MS members and ordered them in jest that hair cut, to dress better, they leave behind their vague appearance with ripped jeans.

─ They said they smelled bad, and some that I tried to win I said that not occur to him that he was going to tie up with one of them says. But we were allies. And although the girls were forbidden to walk with the 18 kids from other neighborhoods, several bridal homegirls mine ended with homies from the MS.

The barriers between the two gangs were so porous as human skin. Even now, that the boundary between the MS and the 18 has a watchman to death, there are cases that are family dieciocheros tattooed girls with the M and S, and vice versa. In those days the exchange of glances was normal. The bond of affection, tolerated.

Cliques of both gangs came to share territory. The MS of the Leeward and dieciocheros Shatto Park neighborhood raffle they even together, making a gesture with his hand that connected on a single sign of the E Eighteen Street, the 18, and the horns of the young MS. The Salvatrucha and Barrio 18 together in one hand and united in the face by a gang that screams, kills or you can die.

If ever the Mara Salvatrucha had a brother in Los Angeles is called Barrio 18. Maybe that's why the two gangs there today placed enmity over the maintaining with other street gangs. Hate is always deeper when wanted, when you've been around, when the sense of betrayal lurks a more intimate pain: the shame of having committed.

[istekse818]

How then began gang war 18?

─ These early cliques of MS were defending against the other gangs that were in the area. However, with the 18 there was always a friendship, because the gang 18 already existed, and to many before MS existed, the 18 was the only gang that Central American immigrants accepted. Then it was inside Salvadoran gang that gang, and maintained a relationship with the 18 for many years. Sometimes problems happen because the guys here are starting to go and fight and bad deals, misunderstanding and a fight is reached and ends enmity someone died and it all starts.

─ But how the war began?

─ With 18 remained an intimate relationship.

─ How Intimate?

─ So the 18 and the MS had many common friends and enemies, with some exceptions such as Easy Riders gang, who always maintained a good relationship with the MS but did not get along with the 18. But overall the MS and 18 together we defended everywhere. Also sometimes in prisons defending ourselves from all other gangs. But the problem was that there was a clique of MS named King Boulevard Locos and that was when there was a fight.

─ What? Did he kill them 18?

─ No ... I mean, no, because they had ... but it seems that there was a fight over a girl, and then the guy who lost the fight, the 18, it seems that he was not satisfied ...

─ That was on the street?

─ It was in an alley, where they met the MS between King Boulevard and Normandie.

─ (Noting in the book) In-tr-e Ki-ng Bo-u-le-vard and Nor-man-die.

─ Look, if you want we will see.



***



We left the building Curacao in the newly rented Mazda compact, with Alex Sanchez as co-pilot, the West Olympic Boulevard, which connects the Downtown to the West Side. Fast forward to Alvarado Street and turned left. We passed the junction with the Pico Boulevard, in the nomenclature legendary gang. Right at the intersection of two streets there is a restaurant very well mounted, which at first glance looks like a gringa branch of any fast food chain and in big red letters is written: "pupusería".

Continue straight on Alvarado Street until it turns into Hoover, which runs parallel to the street Bonnie Brea, crossed the Boulevard Venice-at the intersection there is another ostentatious pupusería-, to turn right on Washington Boulevard width. Throughout the tour the signs are in Spanish and are happening while the "laundry", "taco" and auto sales, no cars, no vehicles-, Alex Sanchez is speaking, as in a lottery, the names of the gangs that claim every block: "Drifters", "Playboys", "Mid City", "Harpies", "Easy Riders" ...

In Angeleno ecosystem, gangs are more of a concern. Generally, their territories are narrow, barely divided by thin streets or, hopefully, by boulevards and avenues that allow greater certainty about who controls every sidewalk. Sometimes two neighboring gangs are forced to label the same corner and put arrows in opposite directions so that there is some sign that clarifies the boundaries. Other times, the most-simply live in threatening lawsuits with its nearest neighbors. 18 is not always the main concern of the MS and vice versa. He fights with the one at hand.

The origins of this range of gangs are very varied: there were cars club, or neighborhood football teams, or not so neighborhood, or groups of graffitteros ... Currently, it is estimated that approximately 400 Los Angeles Latino gangs . Over 700 in Southern California. Not counting the black gangs, Asian, Caucasian ...

We advance on Washington Boulevard, and appears in parallel, intermittently, 18th Street. A semaphore forces us to stop beside the immense Angelous Rosadale Cemetery. There are buried four brothers-friends of our guide. The four were Easy Riders. The four were killed in gang wars of yesteryear. A blue sign announces, just after the cemetery, that wide street that crosses Washington Boulevard is Normandie Avenue. We are entering the territory of the Mara Salvatrucha. We walked down the Normandie, which is introduced in a residential area with low traffic street.

During the 80s and 90s, real wars were fought here. The streets were labeled with brand owners and the younger homeboys patrolled the streets with guns, ready to defend the territory they claimed. Strangers were of two types: drug buyers or enemies. In both cases, you had to be ready to give the right answer.

That whole scenario changed with the laws known as gang injunction, which prohibits even today three or more gang members signed to the police as members of a criminal organization are together in public, or risk being arrested and pay a fine of one thousand dollars. In addition, always at risk of being deported. From the late 80s and especially during the second half of the 90s, the gang injunction gang did change their habits.

Now the streets of southwest Los Angeles look like those of any peaceful neighborhood where residents walk tiny dogs and old women chatting on the sidewalks. From time to time, tattooed on a tree, or timid, on the ground itself, are the initials of a click. No gang members in the corners. However, wary eyes watching from the balconies of buildings.

The journey through this landscape of streets named click is ending. We left the Normandie to enter Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard, where Alex Sanchez gives us pause instructions to enter a narrow alley, which just fits the small Mazda. It is difficult in Los Angeles to find a dirt alley like this. On the floor muddy puddles accumulate and sides to grow shrubs foot ownerless wooden fences. Some beggars have black plastic built a hut next to the wall that was once written "Rest in peace Shaggy". Here's where it all began.