After Two Decades Building a Community, Families in El Salvador Face Eviction

In Soyapango, where a garbage dump once stood, hundreds of families built a neighborhood with their own hands. The Primero de Diciembre community was born in 2004. Its residents leveled the land, opened streets, and managed water and electricity. Today, more than 5,000 people call this place home.

But since 2023, the tranquility has been disrupted by the arrival of Quebec S.A., a real estate company that claims to have purchased the land. Their strategy has been to pressure the residents: they arrived with contracts in hand, offering leases between $120 and $300 a month or the purchase of lots for $25,000 to $30,000. For families surviving on just two or three dollars a day, these figures are unattainable.

The company never presented official documents to support the legality of its claim, but it nonetheless began distributing contracts, setting deadlines, and sending bank representatives offering loans that were practically impossible to repay. Far from questioning these practices, the Ministry of Housing supported Quebec S.A., granting deeds to a small group of residents who were able to cover the imposed prices. The official decision strengthened the company’s position and left most families even more vulnerable.

Organizations like MILPA point out that this is not an isolated case. According to the organization, at least 11,000 families in 45 communities face similar situations: private companies claim ownership of land, rely on legal loopholes, and, with the approval of state institutions, displace entire communities that have been building their homes for decades.