Carlos Ernesto Mojica Lechuga, widely known as “Viejo Lin” and recognized as one of the historic leaders of El Salvador’s Barrio 18 gang, died while in prison custody due to multiple health complications, according to official medical reports released Wednesday.

Authorities indicated that the former gang figure suffered from severe illnesses, including liver cirrhosis, hepatorenal syndrome, and possible neurological complications. His death closes one of the most controversial chapters in the history of organized crime in El Salvador.

During the 1990s and early 2000s, “Viejo Lin” became one of the most recognizable figures linked to Barrio 18, a criminal structure associated with homicides, extortion, forced recruitment, and territorial control across different parts of the country during years marked by widespread violence and insecurity.

The former gang leader returned to public attention in 2012 after participating as a spokesperson during the controversial gang truce promoted under the administration of former president Mauricio Funes. That process sought to reduce homicide rates through negotiations involving criminal organizations and became one of the most debated security strategies in the country’s modern history.

The death of “Viejo Lin” comes during a period in which El Salvador has undergone a profound transformation in public security under the administration of President Nayib Bukele. Authorities credit current anti-gang policies with dismantling the territorial power once exercised by criminal groups that for years dominated large sectors of the country.

For many Salvadorans, the passing of one of the most emblematic gang figures symbolizes the end of a violent era that deeply impacted generations and shaped much of El Salvador’s recent criminal history.