All language subtitles for The.People.Vs..The.Maras.2014.720p.WEBRip.x264.AAC-[YTS.MX]

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[ominous music]

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[ominous music continues]

[narrator] The prison of
Ganja Canada, Guatemala.
[cheering crowds]

Today, the refectory
has been turned into
a boxing ring.

[cheering continues]
[thumping]

100 Prisoners have come to train
and unwind through a workout.

[shouting]

[thumping] [ominous music]
[crowds cheering]

[whistle blows]

Among the fighters,
inmates tattooed head to toe.

These prisoners, called Maras,
belong to the ultra-violent
gangs who take their name

from the Marabunta,
an ant that destroys
everything in its path.

[ominous music]
[shouting]

Ganja Canada Prison is home
to the largest concentration
of Maras in Guatemala.

1500 Are being held here,

most of them are very young,
already serving life sentences
for multiple murder.

24 Year old Jose has already
spent seven years in prison,
and is unlikely to leave soon.

You were sentenced
to how many years?

I was sentenced to 286 years,
but I hope they'll reduce my

sentence because
the prosecutors
haven't got much evidence.

Jose started killing
at the age of nine.

The first person I killed
belonged to another gang,
he got one of us, I found him,

so I decided it was his turn.
He didn't kill me,
but I killed him.

What did you do?

I shot him twice in the head.

Do you know how many
people you've killed?

Ah, I can't remember anymore,
I don’t know, I've forgotten.
Anyway they're all under-ground.

The Maras
are one of the most violent
gangs in the World.

Extortion, robbery, murders,
they've carved up Guatemala.

It's almost impossible
to get close to them,

yet we managed
to spend time with these thugs.

[eerie music]

You have to pay,
get down, get down!

Boss!
What is it?

Well get in the car
and come over here
right away with the money.

[unsettling music]

[unsettling music continues]

To get to the Maras,
we made contact with Freddie.

[continuing unsettling music]

Hello.

Are you going?

How much do you want
to sing a song?
Two Euros.

Ok, let's go.
Freddie has been
in gangs since he was five.

He's just been released
after serving
a five year sentence.

Can you play,
'No One Lives Forever'?

[accordion playing]
His brother is buried here.

Like Freddie, he was also
in the Maras. A rival gang
gunned him down in the street.

Today he would have turned 28.

[singing, guitar and accordion]

[singing, guitar
and accordion continues]

Alongside Freddie
are his sister Claudia
and his Niece.

They've come to pay
their respects to their brother.

I'm bitter yes but also angry...

and so strong that I cannot
even cry I'm in so much pain.

It's one year ago since he died,
but it's like it was yesterday.

That's how life goes,
it's a game, sometimes you win,
sometimes you lose.

In Guatemala
there's no shortage of work
for singers in the cemeteries.

Thank you, have a good day.

[eerie music]

Freddie, our contact,
lives in a neighborhood
of Guatemala City,

considered by the police
to be very dangerous.

It's classified as a red zone.

Wedged between Mexico
and Al Salvador,
Guatemala is now one of

the most dangerous countries
in the world,
and one of the poorest.

In Freddie's neighborhood,
half the population
is unemployed.

The Maras member lives here,
with his Sister,
his Niece and Grandfather.

Where you going like that?

You going out
to do the same things,
aren't you?

I've told you already,
leave me alone.

It's always the same
with my sister.

You should stay here,
don’t hang about on the streets.

Their mother
abandoned them,
when they were very young,

and their father is in prison
for drug trafficking.

Claudia looks after her brother,
because Freddie
is now her only family.

My husband was killed,
here is this neighborhood,
six years ago.

They followed him,
on a motorcycle,
and put two bullets in his head.

Please,
don’t ask so many questions
about everything.

Claudia still
finds it difficult to talk.

In her room
there are several pictures
of her slain brother.

Is that your brother?
Yes, taken about a year ago.

I don’t want the same thing
to happen to Freddie.
He doesn't understand, you see.

This is what leads to revenge
and there's no future in it,
just prison or the cemetery.

Come on let's go.

Freddie never leaves home
without a weapon.

Take care of yourself...
not that you ever listen to me.

God be with you.

Freddie is part
of the new generation of Maras,
who to avoid being picked up

by police,
do not flaunt their tattoos.

Instead Freddie hides them,
along with his weapon,
under his clothes.

Freddie will show us
who the Maras are,
and how they work.

He agrees to introduce us
to his gang leader.

I'll take you to me leader,
but be careful.

So what does
a leader do exactly?

Well, he's our boss,
he gives us the orders.

And he makes sure
we carry them out properly.

Now listen, be careful,

when we get there,
don’t stare and don’t
ask too many questions.

Freddie says,
it's ok to shoot
with a small camera.

He takes us
through a maze of streets, .

At this point,
our safety depends
entirely on him.

[tense music]

I can keep filming?

Yes.

After what seems an age,
we arrive at a busy crossing,
and we go into this house.

[tense music continues]

Who's that?
He's with me.

The door is guarded
around the clock.

We follow Freddie,
and inside we meet his boss.

[tense music continuing]

Hello, who's this guy?
[radio playing techno music]

That's the one
I told you about,
don't worry.

Four more
of Freddie's friends,
all Maras.

Go close the door
and close the window.

You sure
there's no problems
with this guy?

No don't worry,
no problems.

We'll search him anyway.
Good, he's clean.

Ok, but turn off
this shit camera.

On the edge,
his boss threatens us
with his gun.

Get out of here,
or you'll be in trouble.

Please, don't shoot!

Calm down boss,
he's with Freddie.
A phone call eases the tension.

[chattering in Spanish]

Hello.

Listen,
did you do what I asked?
No, nothing?

Listen, you have to do
what I tell you, that's it!
And if the dumb ass doesn’t pay,

you know what to do.
No not later, now!

One hour, I want you here,
with the money,
or I'll send someone to get you!

Who you talking to?
What's with all the questions?

Can you tell us about it,
calmly?

I sent someone
to collect the money
that's owed me, that’s all.

The gangster organizers
all the racketeering
from this room,

calling his men in the field.
[radio continues
playing techno music]

He's already served six years
in prison for trafficking.

Watch out, what if he's a cop?
No, no, don’t worry,

I'm a journalist,
I just want to know
how everything works.

Well, what do you wanna know?

What are you doing here?
Just ask your questions.

Tell me about your tattoos?

Tattoos?
Well it represents
the gang we belong to.

What does the "M" stand for?

It's" M" and "S".
So what does "M" mean,

and the "S"?
It means,
Maras Sulvatrucha, our gang.

And this says prisoner,
for the sake of my mother.
Can you show me?

Here's the picture of my mother
and the prison bars and me.

Covered in tattoos,
the Boss is very conspicuous.

To avoid getting picked up
by police, he hasn't left
the house for several years.

Around him,
his team is always on edge.

Turn off the camera!
We should kill him.

We have to know where he's from,
maybe he's lying.

Stop it!

Damn gringo,
he asks too many questions.

Put a guard at the door,
and make sure he doesn’t leave.

It's ok, it's ok,
I can leave if you want.

Why, what do you mean,
what do you want?
Well, can you tell me more?

Listen, there's a little scam
we're preparing
not far from here.

So, if you have
some spare time...

Can we come along?
Ok.
You, start getting ready.

Why don't you
let the little crazy guy go?
Didn't you want to test him?

He can show us
whether he has balls.

Ok, why not, are you ready?
Yeah, you know,
anything for the Maras.

Well, this will be
your first test, to see
if you've really got balls.

The weapon is loaded, right.
It's loaded, see?

They'll see who I am,
I'll show them
who the Maras are.

You shoot her once,
just once ok, the bitch.

[chattering in Spanish]

Miguel is 17 years old,
he's a new recruit,
to be accepted into the Mara

he must prove himself
by robbing a shop
in broad daylight.

It seems odd,
so we decide to follow.

Here,
take this weapon in case.

If anything goes wrong,
it's better to have two guns.

Given Miguel's
lack of experience,
Freddie prefers to go with him.

Are they really
off to rob a store?
We don't know what will happen.

[tense music]

Can you believe the assholes
in this neighborhood,

you have to show them
what you worth. Here,
it's the Maras that run things.

In the end,
we don’t go with them,
we prefer to let them go ahead.

We follow on behind.

The young man
wants to film everything
and has a small chest camera.

We no longer go along,
he walks into
a small grocery store.

Hello. Right, give me
the fucking money,
you think this stuff is fake?

Listen, pay your tax!
Get down and if you look at me,
I'll kill you!

The whole thing
lasts less than 15 seconds.

The young hoodlum
leaves quickly,
alerted by the commotion,

another shopkeeper
took out his rifle.

The robber's camera
is still recording.

He heads back to the hideout
with Freddie,
where his boss is waiting.

[tense music]

So, ok?
What more do you want,

we got it boss,
here's the money.
What else do you want me to do?

The boss counts up the money.

Here's the revolver.
He checks,
to see if a round is missing.

Just one thing,
give me a cigarette.

It was great,
the woman was really scared.

So, did you kill her or not?

No, she was so scared
when she saw the gun.

But, for a fist time,
you have to show
what you've got.

I was going to but,
it's not nice
if she has children.

We joined them
back at the hideout.

Would you really have
killed her if she hadn't
have given you the money?

Yeah, of course easy,
we don’t screw around.

[speaking in Spanish]

You'd have no difficulty
doing that?

No problem.
Listen, turn off this camera,
now you're pissing me off!

You should get out
with this camera.

It's alright, it's fine,
everything is fine.

How much money was that?

What do you care, man?
Just be happy
with what you filmed.

[speaking in Spanish]

The robbery was worth 50 Euros.

The money is given
to gang bosses,
who organize crimes from prison.

This business
is managed from prison,
from anywhere.

We must look out for each other.
We send money for our friends
in prison to care for them,

that they can get by.

We're all a family, we must
stick together to make it.

Anyone who doesn’t
play the game is killed.

The Maras are increasingly
annoyed by our presence.

He'll screw us with his camera,
you ask too many questions.

Ok, let's go Freddie,
it's time to leave.

Ok, come on then.

Don't worry,
I know where to find him.

Freddie and his gang,
carry out robberies every week.

In Guatemala City,
there are 300 such gangs
of Maras.

Working on their own,
the gangs crisscross
all areas of the city.

In the Capital alone,
there's an estimated 5000 Maras.

[unsettling music]

This is the Central Square
of Guatemala City.

Outwardly the population
lives quietly,
everything is peaceful,

but the inhabitants
of the Capital can fall victim
to the Maras at any time.

[continuing unsettling music]

Gangs have set up a system
of highly organized rackets.

One of their favorite targets
are taxis.

We meet up again with Freddie.

Can I come along?
No, it's best you don't,
you know why?

Just stop and take a look.

Oh, is that why?
Yeah, that's why.

You cannot come with me
with this big camera.

You know what we can do,
if you trust me,
give me your little camera.

Which one?
The little camera,
the one on the chest.

Ok, but how do I get it back?
I have to come with you.
Don't worry, I'll call you.

If I'd wanted to steal it,
if I wanted to kill you,
I would have done that,

a long time ago.

So you want me to go?
Yeah, trust me if you like,
if not, forget it.

I have to do what I have to do,
It's up to you.

So, you going
to give me the camera,
or not?

For the time being,
we follow him discretely.

The Maras have developed
a highly effective technique.

Their weapon,
is a simple cell phone.

So, how does it work?
We just leave
a mobile phone in a cab,

and our boss will call him
and threaten him.
So he'll have to pay.

You leave a cell phone?
Yes, we leave a phone,
and when it rings

he'll have to answer,
otherwise we'll kill him,
that's how it works.

[whistle call]

Freddie meets up with Miguel,
the young Mara who robbed
the grocery store days earlier.

Take the phone.
No, no, stop, you stay there.
No, no, you can't.

Freddie and Miguel are looking
for a victim on the square.

They still don't know
who their prey will be.

There's a taxi waiting,
he will be the victim.
They choose him,

as he happened
to be the first in line.

Miguel will give
the driver the phone.

Hi, this is an extortion
by the Maras, take this phone,
you will receive a call,

if you don't answer,
we will kill you.

Miguel sets off calmly
as if nothing had happened.
Freddie follows,

and the taxi driver
is caught in the trap.

His life just got a lot worse,
if he refuses to answer
the phone or pay, he dies.

Now it's our boss who'll
take care of the rest, not us.
He'll call the driver now.

I just want to tell him
that everything is all set.

A few minutes later,
Freddie hails a Taxi.

[suspenseful music]

He's wearing his small camera.

How much is it to go to Trebol?

[speaking in Spanish]

We decide
not to get in the Taxi.

The vehicle sets off
and Freddie's camera
continues to roll.

So asshole,
give me your money,
the money!

Keep quiet or I'll kill you.
Give me everything you got.

Everything,
your cell phone as well,
you jerk!

And don't try following me,
I'll put two bullets
in your head.

Go on,
get lost!

This time,
Freddie was not
following orders from his boss,

but acting on his own.

He coolly heads off
down the street,
without looking back.

To get by,
Freddie will steel from anyone.

He's already spent
five years behind bars
for similar offenses.

Newspapers!
All the news!
Free press!

In the Capital,
the papers report on the latest
Maras crimes every day.

Today, one of the biggest
newspapers in the city,
has an almost banal title.

"He was holding up buses
armed with six phone cells",
it says.

Madam, excuse me,
is there a lot of violence
in Guatemala?

Oh yes, yesterday for example,
I was held up on 18th Street.
They stole my phone,

in the middle of the afternoon,
in the center of town.
They told me,

if I didn't give them my phone,
they would kill me.
So I handed it over immediately.

There's a lot of insecurity
in our Country,
there are too many Maras.

It's full of Maras
in our Country,
you can get robbed,

right outside your house.
Everywhere here now
is a red zone.

[ominous music]

In Guatemala City,
few people are willing
to talk about crime,

for fear of reprisals.
This is especially true
for Taxi drivers.

After a dozen others
have refused, Gustavo accepts
to be interviewed.

He's worked as a Taxi Driver
in the Capital for 12 years.

He earns 300 Euros a month
and has been held up four times.

I thought they were
going to kill me.

it was something
I wouldn't wish on anyone.
[eerie reflective music]

Just to talk about it,
brings a lump to my throat.

[eerie reflective music
continues]

It was so hard
being alone with them.

It was a moment,
that deeply affected me.

I thought of my children,
I thought of the little ones
in my family especially.

I have four children,
they were the ones
I thought of first.

The Mara wanted to steel my car
but since it wasn’t working
very well,

they couldn’t take it.

So, they started beating me
on the mouth and on the arm
and they hit me,

with the butt of a gun.

Gustavo lives
in a poor neighborhood.
Whenever he was being robbed,

he believed he would
never see his wife
and children again.

Hello dear.

Watching TV, hey.

The attacks have left Gustavo
with both physical
and mental scars.

I was just driving,
when it felt like
a spike in the belly,

and I braked.
They stab you?
Yes, they stabbed me.

Look, here and there.
You see the stitches?

Since the attacks,
Gustavus is obliged to pay
a third of his salary,

each month to the Maras.

I have to pay 20 Euros a week.
It's the same
for every taxi driver.

And he who doesn't pay,
unfortunately will be killed.

They come on a motorcycle.

-Why didn't you go to the
police?
-Because there is no safety,

There's no security
in Guatemala.

The police, not all of them,
but many are corrupt.

If you ask for help,
they wont come.

Is that why you didn't
go to the police?
No, what good would it do?

The first thing
the Mara tell you
is if you file a complaint,

your family will die first
and then you,
just for going to the police.

Every day when he leaves,
I pray to God,
that he comes back safely.

Because he supports our family,
and we have four children.

[ominous music]

Guatemala City has about
four million inhabitants.

Each day violent crime
claims about 15 victims.

The government has established
a special Elite Brigade
to fight the Maras.

It's based
at the police station downtown.

All day long,
the victims file in and out.

Hello,
we've come about a racket.

Do you have the document?
Yes.

Who will file the complaint?
That's me.

About a week ago they rang me
and told me
that I had to pay 5000 Euros.

I refused,
I immediately hung up,
but they rang back,

and I hung up again.

Three days ago
I found this letter
in our mailbox.

The message is clear,
"You son of a bitch" it says,

"Why didn't
you answer the phone?

If you hang up again
we will attack
those who hold most dear,

your family,
we know all about you
and your family."

[tense music]

Another victim arrives,
another threatening letter.
The story is always the same.

I'm a Doctor,
and I want to make a complaint.
I have a surgery,

and yesterday
I received a letter
asking me for money.

They left
a phone number to call?
No.

Well, go ahead,
we'll deal with you
and try sort this out.

Thank you.

That morning about 15 victims
came to file charges.

It's the same thing with me,
I have a small grocery store,
very small, it's all I have.

I have nothing else,
just a piece of furniture,
no window, I sell candy.

Ok, we'll take care of you.

I want to be protected,
because they told me
that they coming back tomorrow.

Ok, we'll take care of you.

In the office next door,
an anti-Maras operation
is getting under way.

A dozen agents
have been mobilized
and they're at a final briefing.

A few days earlier,
the police recovered a phone
given to the grocer,

to extort money from him.

To track the criminals,
Sergeant Leonidas,
has decided on an ambush.

The owner of a grocery store
is a victim of extortion,
they asked him for 2000 Euros.

The victim gave us a cell phone
and we are now in contact
with the Mara.

They say they want the money
dropped off in front
of a shopping center,

which is located in Area 12.

Sergeant Leonidas
has designated this policeman
to play the extorted grocer,

and he'll have
the victims phone
and the ransom in cash.

You don’t move,
either forward or backward.
This is where you

have to hand over the money.
The operation is dangerous,
don’t forget you family

is waiting for you at home.
We must protect each other.

In this type of operation
the police are equipped
with assault rifles.

Last year, sergeant Leonidas
lost four men
during one operation.

This is an AK47

A dozen men climb on board
unmarked pick-ups.

[suspenseful music]

They head to a shopping center
to the north of Guatemala City,
where they meant

to hand over the cash.

On site, the policeman,
who's pretending
to be the grocer is outside,

expecting a delivery
of fast food.

The rendezvous
is due in 45 minutes.

Colleagues, in civilian clothes,
have time to position
themselves around the mall.

Get closer to him,
you're too far away over there.
We're not that many.

Secure the area to the right,
and also put a guy
next to the truck.

We're still not there,
but they might
show at any moment.

That's why we must
be ready for anything.

Out front,
cars cruise past the sergeant.
The Mara are probably out

looking for the grocer too.

This kind of thing
can go on for an hour
or six hours, there's no limits.

Suddenly,
after waiting for two hours...

That's it, there they are,
yup, there they are.

The police officer,
who plays the grocer,
is on the phone with the Maras.

Sergeant Leonidas
is listening in.

They said they were coming
in a black car and they would
open the window so the money

could be thrown in.

The Maras's vehicle pulls up...

Leonidas give the word,
Go, affirmative!

[rifle scraping the tar]

The arrests will be made
in the middle of the road.

[tense music] [hooter honks]
[shouting]

On the ground, get down!

Hands behind you back.

Where's the other one?
Where's he gone?

Get up, be quiet!

The criminal is hustled away
and the police
leave the area quickly,

to avoid being attacked
by accomplishes of the Maras.

So, how was that then?
No, it was fine.

We all acted together,
when we had to.

How much money
did they want you to give them?

Here it is.
How much?
2000 Euros.

This gangster,
faces between six
and 12 years in prison.

A few days after the bust,
this police officer,
will be killed,

during a similar operation.

There are less than 200
of the Elite Police
across the Country.

It's not enough to reduce crime,
especially since the police
are notoriously corrupt.

And to make ends meet,
often work with the Maras.

Last year 197 officers
were arrested.

Today, few in Guatemala
have confidence in the police.

Militia groups
have begun to spring up,
especially at night,

in some areas.

[unsettling music]

[man whistling]

Evening.

Alvaro has lived
in this neighborhood
since he was born.

Come on, let's go.

A Mason by profession,
he has already been robbed
twice at home.

The police rarely venture
to this part of the city.

Have the police
lost control here?

The policing in Guatemala
is useless.
It serves no purpose.

And sometimes,
we are more afraid
of the cops than the Maras.

Alvaro used to be a Maras,
but today he's fighting them.

He's a member of a Militia,
called The Hoods, 100 men
who police the district.

[unsettling music continues]

Hi, how you doing?
Listen, I'm available
to patrol this evening.

Super.
Ok.

Is it important
to make the rounds
and see what's going on?

Oh yeah, very important.
It's the only way
we can stop crime,

and what's going on everywhere.

We're all armed,
you can't go out unarmed.
Not just us,

but all the people
in this neighborhood
keep weapons at home.

They don’t want
to give those bastard Mara
any chance.

Alvaro and the Militias
are positioned at a crossroads.

Hey, how you doing?
So, are you up for this?

Who are these people?
This is a group,
united to fight the Maras.

You see, for six years,
this entire area was a mess.

We were at the mercy
of the Maras
and many people were killed,

but now we've banded together.
We've bought weapons
and we're trying to fight back.

These people wear hoods
to avoid revenge attacks
by the Maras.

All vehicles are checked
as they enter the neighborhood.

Evening, can you
step out of the car please?

The people here
are used to this.

Every motorist
is searched by the Militia.

What are you
looking for exactly, weapons?

Yeah, we just want to check
if they are armed, that way
we can avoid any bother later.

Ok, off you go.

Since these foot patrols began,
the Maras has not shown up
in this area.

[continuing unsettling music]

The public feel safer,
and even the Tacos vendors
have returned.

Before, the problem
was the Maras.

Did the police come?

I don't know,
but there are more
hooded people than police now.

But the Militias pose a problem,
as the government disapproves
of civilian self-defense forces.

The Minister of the Interior
of Guatemala
fears that these hooded Militias

will eventually
replace the Maras.

The Militias say
that they acting
instead of the police,

but in fact they charge people
for their services
and punish those who don't pay.

And in some parts
of the Country some Militias
have even committed murder,

and abducted people.

This is wrong
and it's an infringement
of the law,

and of the rights of civilians.
Public safety
cannot be left to citizens.

But there's so many
cases of corruption,
aren't there?

Well, what happens
is that the Maras
are able to learn

about our police officers
and their families,
where they live.

So they threaten them,
they try to bribe them
with money,

this is what causes
the corruption.

Once we have the means
and ability
to protect our officers,

we will be able
to make corruption
gradually disappear.

It's difficult to state
that there will never
be corruption in the country.

We can reduce corruption
to an acceptable level.

According to the authorities,
the citizens Militias allegedly
killed several people last year.

Real executions...
So, what is the truth?

Have the Militias
become gangsters?

We turn to Alvaro again,
the brick layer,
who introduced us to the Hoods.

[unsettling music]

[tractor beeping]

Come on, come this way.

And you, you go back.

A phone call interrupts
his work and our filming.

Alvaro asks us to leave.

His phone conversation
lasts five minutes.

Who was that on the phone?
I can't tell you who it was,
it's confidential.

I cannot tell you.

Let's just say it's a job,
I don’t want
to talk to you about it.

They pay me,
but nobody has to know about it,
except the one who asks me.

At the end of his work day,
Alvaro offers to take us home.

[unsettling music continues]

Along the way,
we try find out more
about the mysterious phone call.

Alright, I'll tell you about it,
but I'll be honest,
I've never told anyone else.

No one else must ever know,
and if anyone finds out,
I could pay dearly for it.

Alvaro lives behind these houses
made of corrugated iron.
Divorced with two children,

he lives with his brother.

Has the match started?

How you doing?

I'm preparing the food.

After the niceties,
we return to the subject
of the identity of the caller,

who rang him at work.

So, what's this famous work
you mentioned?

This work, that I started
telling you about,
is very confidential.

You want me to explain?
Ok good, but we need
to get out of here.

Alvaro takes us away
from his family.
Come with me, I'll explain.

Here's my home, my corner,
come on, come in,
nobody comes here except me.

It there a light?
Yes, there's a light.

I have a weapon,
do you want to see it?
I'm backed up twice now.

This one,
is for my personal defense.
What weapon is that?

It's a 9mm,
it's a Special Assault Weapon,
that's what it's called.

Even if I no longer
rob or steal,
this is for a "hush, hush",

type of job.

What kind of work?

I'm a hired killer,
and this is my 9mm.

And how old were you,
when you started
murdering people?

I started at 14.
14?

Yes, I loved it so much
the first time after I did it,
and...

This is how you load up
and shoot, see.

I also like the mechanism.
I was successful so I continued
to make easy money.

This is the weapon
that makes me money,
but I have another weapon

that is very different.

And there's
another side to my life,
it's more powerful than this.

And I'm sure
it's more effective too.

Would you like to see it?

Alvaro gets paid to kill people.
We're stunned
by this revelation.

And there are
yet more surprises in store.

Come and see.
Don't be scared of this.

It's double edged though,
but it's not a knife,
it's a book.

The book that my mother
and father hammered
into my head.

They always told me
to do exactly
what is written inside.

It's called,
"The Holy Bible."

You read the bible?
I read it.

So, this and this,
are my two weapons.
Two different weapons,

This one has an impact,
this has a different
sort of impact.

Both are weapons,
with which you can
either destroy yourself,

or set yourself free.

Carry on.

They can both destroy you,
with one it destroys
by taking life from others.

And the other can destroy you,
because of what's inside.

When getting ready
to commit a crime,
would you pray,

or think about the Bible?

No, no,
I keep it out of my thoughts.

This is the word,
and I keep it here
in a small bag.

And when I do something,
I say forgive me Lord...

but they'll pay me.

Alvaro has killed 17 people.

Ηe gets 2000 Euros per
contract, half his annual
Masonry salary.

The former Maras member
is recycling his expertise,
he now leads a triple life,

A respectable Mason by day,
a militiaman by night,
and a killer.

[eerie music]

In this poor district,
Alvaro's story
is almost common place.

One of his Militia buddies
is also a killer.

[eerie music continues]

A week later,
Alvaro invites us
to meet him again.

He takes us into Zone 18,
the most dangerous area
of the Capital.

He wants to show us something.
[ominous music]

This is a place,
where there are a lot of Maras.

At this time of day,
the Maras aren't a threat,
because they're not here.

They're
doing business elsewhere

In the middle of the night,
they show up, they smoke,
they drink, they get drunk,

they annoy the people
that they bump into.

This is why
there can be no peace
in this country.

The insecurity
is dragging us all down.

Alvaro takes up position
at the corner of the street,
he's tense.

Apparently he's waiting
for someone.

What's he doing?
It's late.

Maras piece of shit.
Ah ok, there he is, I see him.
He's the one in the white hat.

He's a Maras shit,
the son of a bitch.

Don't you follow me.

[suspenseful music]

[gunshot]

Alvaro has just coldly
gunned down the Maras,
with a shot to the head.

The killer is gone,
a few meters away
a child continues to cycle by,

as if nothing had happened.

And we leave in turn.
[tense music]

Maras, police and civilians,
dying on a street corner
is part of everyday life.

In Guatemala life has no value,
only death can be traded.

[eerie music]

[eerie music continues]

[somber singing,
guitar and accordion music]

[continuing somber singing,
guitar and accordion music]