New podcast HUMO: Murder and Silence in El Salvador to launch

A new audio documentary series investigates crimes from a mass grave to searching for disappeared loved ones across El Salvador.

From Sonoro, in association with Factum Magazine, HUMO: Murder and Silence in El Salvador is more than a podcast; it’s a window into the reality of a crisis full of questions, where the disappearances of people and gang violence have left deep scars on society.

With English and Spanish versions, across eight 30-minute episodes, the podcast delves into topics such as the epidemic of forced disappearances and the fight to find truth and justice about the “invisible borders” controlled by gangs that territorially divide El Salvador and affect the daily lives of its inhabitants.

It also looks at multiple governments that have been incapable of facing the crisis of disappearances, practicing journalism in a country where journalists are in danger from criminal gangs and an authoritarian government that threatens press freedom.

Daniel Alvarenga, English-version host and Salvadorian journalist, follows the story from his home in the United States and discovers the story lands much closer to home than he ever imagined. It is a harrowing journey providing a first-hand account of the unexpected ties and reach of violence across Latin America and the United States.

Bryan Avelar, Spanish-version host and investigative reporter says: “In May 2021, I began an investigation to reveal the darkest secrets of a serial killer who had turned his home into a clandestine grave. Without expecting it, this became a true crime podcast, an investigation into missing persons, censorship, and a government that forced me and other of my colleagues to flee El Salvador.”

HUMO: Murder and Silence in El Salvador will be available in both languages on all podcast platforms from 9 April, with a trailer to the series released on 1 April.