 His "Mano Duro" policy (name used to describe Central American leaders taking a hard stance against crime) led to the creation of a penal code in 2003 which made street gangs like MS-13 and M-18 illegal and established jail sentences up to 12 years for proven membership.Violent crime dipped noticeably under Maduro.These "mano duro" policies had significant downsides as well.