Mara Salvatrucha refers to large gangs in Central America and the United States. The gang names are commonly abbreviated as MS<, Mara, and MS-13, and are composed mostly of El Salvador|Salvadorans, Guatemalans, Honduras|Hondurans, and other Central Americans. The Mara Salvatrucha gangs have cliques, or factions, located throughout the United States and Latin America. Former gang member Brenda Paz said that MS-13 is well structured, with multiple leaders, and that the gang's goal is to become the top gang in the United States.