Venezuelan Migrants Allege Torture in El Salvador’s Cecot Prison
Venezuelan migrants recently deported from the United States report experiencing cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment at the Cecot prison in El Salvador, known officially as the Terrorism Confinement Center. These migrants have called on the International Committee of the Red Cross to publicly address the human rights violations they endured, reports 24brussels.
One affected migrant, Ángel Blanco, stated, “Let the Red Cross speak out on behalf of the 252 Venezuelans who were unjustly deprived of our liberty, as we were subjected to physical and verbal torture,” emphasizing the need for accountability.
The migrants claim to have documented severe violations of their rights during their detention in the maximum-security prison, which was inaugurated in 2023 under President Nayib Bukele’s administration. They insist that no individual should be treated as a criminal or terrorist based solely on their appearance.
The release of the group of 252 Venezuelan migrants occurred on July 18, 2025, following a prisoner exchange agreement with the U.S. government, which involved the release of ten U.S. citizens. In March 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump employed the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport hundreds of Venezuelans, alleging links to the Tren de Aragua criminal gang, which the Venezuelan government states has been dismantled.
Under an agreement between the White House and the Salvadoran government, these migrants were held without due process. The Venezuelan government, led by President Nicolás Maduro, condemned the action as “kidnapping” of ordinary migrants.
Cecot, inaugurated in 2023, is one of the largest prisons in El Salvador, criticized for the inhumane treatment of inmates and its stringent security measures, which include electric fences. An agreement recently uncovered between Washington and San Salvador involves $4.76 million for “penitentiary services” for the nearly 300 Venezuelans deported, accused without evidence of organized crime ties and sent to Cecot.
This arrangement does not require Salvadoran authorities to prevent torture or indefinite confinement, raising renewed concerns about the treatment of migrants and the legality of express deportations. Furthermore, it absolves the U.S. State Department of liability for any claims resulting from the agreement’s enforcement.