SAN SALVADOR – The president of El Salvador’s Alianza FC soccer club, Pedro Hernandez, has been arrested, alongside the club’s security and finance managers, along with two other individuals, in connection with a stampede during a match last weekend that left 12 fans dead and hundreds injured.
The other detainees are Reynaldo Avelar Contreras, manager of the company in charge of running Cuscatlan Stadium, and Samuel Garcia Montano, responsible for the stadium’s keys.
The five people arrested have been charged with culpable homicide, culpable injuries and causing public havoc after hundreds of fans surged towards improperly opened gates at the stadium. The investigation found that the number of access gates for ticket holders was insufficient for the crowds, and that the gates that were made available had not been opened early enough for orderly and safe entry.
This tragedy has provoked public outrage in El Salvador, prompting the government to act swiftly and take legal action. President Nayib Bukele has tweeted that “justice will be done for the victims”, and that the government’s priority was to ensure that “something like this will never happen again”.
The attorney general’s office also detained the club’s security manager, Edwin Abarca Ventura, who was amongst several people arrested. The Alianza officials were expected to make their initial court appearances in the coming days and could face charges of manslaughter, causing injury and public havoc. It is believed that organizers of the game illegally sold too many tickets for the venue, leading to the stampede which occurred after fans were denied entry, despite having tickets. Prosecutors said they were “investigating the club’s organized fan groups.”
Earlier this week, Alianza was fined $30,000 and ordered to play without fans for one year. After announcing the end of the soccer season, the Salvadoran Soccer Federation and the professional first division pledged to “ensure that security measures are reinforced.”
While many mourn the loss of life, others have questioned the safety measures in place and the responsibility of club officials and security personnel to safeguard fans. Some fans have stated that they queued for several hours with little information provided on their tickets before being caught up in the stampede.
The tragedy highlights the urgent need for basic safety measures at sporting events in countries like El Salvador. Many stadia continue to be overcrowded and lack proper segregation between home and away fans. It is essential that appropriate safety measures are put in place to prevent accidents and tragedies such as this, which have shaken the soccer community in El Salvador.
As authorities work to bring justice for the victims and their families, fans will be watching closely to ensure that all reasonable measures are taken to prevent further tragedies.
