The Central American country declared the emergency measures -- allowing the arrest of gang members without a warrant -- last week after 87 reported killings from March 25 to 27.

And on Monday the president said the 6,000 detained in a little over a week added to the 16,000 gang members already incarcerated in El Salvador's prisons.

Speaking at a police barracks in the capital San Salvador, Bukele addressed public concerns of gangs "taking revenge" on the population due to the massive arrest operations.

If they commit an act of revenge, "there will not be even one meal in the prisons," the president said.