Honduras - San Pedro Sula - A former gang member shows his tattoos. San Pedro Sula has several criminal gangs (known as 'Maras') that sprang up in the region after their members were deported from the US in the 1990's. The founders of the gangs were typically Central American youngsters whose families had fled to the US to escape civil war. After peace accords were signed, they were sent back to their countries and took the street-gang culture with them.