was expected to cost around US$20 million. Despite the announcement, the government stated that it was difficult to find companies who were willing to participate. In early May 2012, the gangs agreed to extend the truce to school zones and said that they would end the forced recruitment of members. The announcement, presented by Víctor Antonio García Cerón, a leader of Barrio 18, at the Quezaltepeque prison, read: Fracturing in late 2012 In mid-July 2012, the government arrested 185 gang members in San Salvador as a part of a "mega-operation" intended to capture 200 gang members. Additionally, three gang leaders were arrested in Soyapango who were connected to the assassinations of three police officers three months prior. In August 2012, Munguía stated that the police were arresting an average of 250 people per day, but announced that the police would begin reducing the number of arrests. He denied the reduction was in response to demands from the gangs. According to Miguel Fortin, the director of the Institute of Forensic Medicine (IML), the truce began to fracture in August 2012 as homicide rates began to steadily increase, with 58 homicides being recorded in the first week of the month. On 20 August 2012, two leaders of MS-13 were killed in Soyapango by lower-ranking members, supposedly due to the two leaders attempting to undermine the truce. In September 2012, the Salvadoran government formally acknowledged its role in organizing the truce, stating that the Ministry of Public Security directly negotiated with the gangs under the oversight of Funes. According to Mijango, some of the gangs' demands included the repeal of the Gang Prohibition Act, the end of police operations in gang-controlled territory, the repeal of a law which provided benefits to individuals in exchange for information about others with criminal connections, and general improvements in the prisoners' quality of life. In November 2012, Mijango and Colindres called upon the Legislative Assembly to repeal the Gang Prohibition Act to further distance the country from the old Mano Dura policies, but Funes stated that he would oppose any effort to repeal the law. Peace zones On 22 November 2012, Mijango and Colindres announced that the next phase of the truce would be the implementation of so-called "peace zones", special municipalities where the gangs should aim to eliminate all criminal activities. Gang members would be required to surrender their weapons and make peace with rival gang