Violence has not been effectively addressed in El Salvador since, at least, the 1992 Peace Accords. The annual rate of violence has steadily increased, and repressive policies to date have not worked. In 2013, the presidential electoral campaign has framed the topic of violence as the backdrop for a truce between gangs. In this article, we offer a description of key events such as the presidential elections and the gang truce, and suggest that political parties are missing an opportunity to grapple with the issue of violence. Instead, other organizations are leading this process.