Caracas / El Salvador
In a chilling revelation, Venezuela’s Attorney General Tarek William Saab confirmed that 252 Venezuelan migrants, deported from the United States to El Salvador earlier this year, endured systemic torture and abuse at the hands of prison guards in CECOT—the sprawling maximum‑security Terrorism Confinement Center in Tecoluca.
Illegal Deportations and Dubious Allegations
In March 2025, the Trump administration invoked the rarely used Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport over 230 Venezuelans to El Salvador, accusing them of affiliation with the Tren de Aragua gang. Most had no criminal record and identification often relied on features like tattoos—one detainee was targeted for having an autism awareness tattoo. An estimated 75% of the group had no criminal history
Despite a federal judge order to halt some flights, the deportations proceeded. Once in El Salvador, the migrants were held indefinitely without charges, hearings, or court representation—a clear violation of basic due process rights.
Testimonies from Detained Migrants
On July 18, the Venezuelans were repatriated in a prisoner exchange negotiated by the governments of Venezuela, El Salvador, and the U.S.—in exchange for the release of 10 U.S. nationals.
Upon arrival in Caracas, Saab disclosed 123 documented complaints from repatriated migrants detailing inhumane conditions—cell confinement in “La Isla” (The Island) with no sunlight or ventilation, forced kneeling under glaring lights, denial of legal access, and prohibition of family contact .
They were fed spoiled food, given contaminated water, and denied medical care, resulting in severe gastrointestinal illnesses with no treatment provided. Many survivors describe beating, use of rubber pellets, fractured limbs, missing teeth, scars, and psychological trauma including suicidal ideation
Sexual violence was reported as widespread—guards allegedly coerced detainees into sexual acts, including forcing abuses during Red Cross or congressional visits by staging recreational activities to conceal injuries
Venezuela Launches Formal Investigation
Saab announced a formal criminal investigation—naming President Nayib Bukele, Justice Minister Gustavo Villatoro, and prison chief Osiris Luna Meza—for crimes including torture and inhuman treatment under international conventions including the Convention against Torture, the ICC’s Rome Statute, and other international human rights frameworks.
Stories of Survivors
Among the survivors is Andry José Hernández Romero, a gay Venezuelan asylum seeker and makeup artist. Hernández, detained in the U.S. with an active asylum claim, was deported and held in CECOT for 125 days. He reports being beaten, stripped, bruised, shot with rubber pellets, and sexually assaulted—all while being denied legal representation or medical care
In another case, Neiyerver Adrián León Rengel, a 27‑year‑old Venezuelan, has filed a $1.3 million claim against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security under the Federal Tort Claims Act. He alleges wrongful deportation and abuse, including being lied to about his destination and suffering maltreatment in a country where he had no prior ties or representation.
Reaction and Global Concerns
Human rights organizations have condemned the deportations and detention scheme as a blatant suspension of legal norms and cruelty disguised as security policy. Venezuelan authorities denounce the conditions as tantamount to kidnapping and state violence, demanding international intervention from UN bodies and the ICC.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security continues to assert that the deportees were dangerous gang affiliates, though it has offered little evidence to substantiate its claims—and civil society groups challenge its reliance on superficial indicators like tattoos
El Salvador’s government has not formally responded to the allegations. Bukele dismissed the criticism online, claiming Venezuela only raised concerns after losing leverage in the prisoner exchange.
What’s at Stake
This case starkly illustrates how sovereign powers—and bipartisan U.S. administrations—can deploy legal mechanisms to sidestep due process, render people invisible, and outsource abuse. It highlights a broader trend: migrants become tools in geopolitical exchanges, stripped of rights, and silenced in detention regimes.
The survivors’ voices demand accountability—not just for isolated abuses, but for the legal architecture that allows states to dehumanize people with impunity. Venezuela’s attempt to bring forward international redress is a step—but the systemic injustices laid bare demand the global community’s attention.