Immigration As A Political Weapon
On March 15, the U.S. government, without due process, illegally and unconstitutionally transferred 253 Venezuelans to El Salvador’s notorious anti-terrorist prison, CECOT. These individuals were accused of belonging to the Tren de Aragua gang, yet no evidence was provided. The prisoners were subjected to humiliation and egregious human rights violations.
CECOT, which opened in 2023 and was partially built with U.S. funds, has been transformed into Bukele’s signature mega-prison, a symbol of his crackdown on gangs, alarmingly resembling a Nazi concentration camp.
According to a report by the human rights organization Cristosal, the prisoners at CECOT do not receive enough water, food is very scarce, and they are only allowed one hour outside their cells.