translation of the name mara
The Mara Salvatrucha gang originated in Los Angeles and has spread to Central America, other parts of the United States, and Canada. It is commonly abbreviated as MS, Mara, and MS-13. There is some dispute about the etymology of the name. The most common belief is that the word Mara refers to the Spanish word for gang, and Salvatrucha (which is Spanish slang) for Salvadoran army ant. Alternatively, it is suggested that Salvatrucha refers to the Salvadoran peasant guerrillas, the source of much of the gang's early manpower.