Authorities in El Salvador are excavating a clandestine cemetery at the house of a former detective which is believed to contain as many as 40 bodies – most of them thought to be women. The remains of at least 24 people have been recovered so far at the house in the municipality of Chalchuapa, about 48 miles (78km) north-west of the capital, San Salvador. On Thursday, dozens of people who believed their missing relatives could be among the bodies gathered outside the house, which was guarded by a heavy police presence. El Salvador saw 111 femicides in 2019, police data showed. Violence against women in Latin America, including femicides, worsened during the coronavirus pandemic, according to aid groups.

Source: The Guardian May 20, 2021 19:52 UTC