Venezuela is launching an investigation into severe accusations that migrants, recently repatriated after quartering in El Salvador's CECOT prison, suffered systematic human rights abuses. On Friday, over 250 Venezuelans were returned to their homeland near Caracas after being detained since March, following their deportation from the United States.
Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab detailed claims of "systemic torture" within the prison, which reported incidents of sexual abuse, frequent beatings, and dismal food standards. The El Salvador Government has yet to address these assertions. Saab held a press conference where he showcased testimonies and images purportedly depicting detainees displaying various injuries, including bruises and missing teeth, although these claims have not gotten independent verification from the BBC.
In light of these allegations, Venezuela is now pursuing an investigation against El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele, the Justice Minister Gustavo Villatoro, and Head of Prisons Osiris Luna Meza. Attorney General Saab has also urged the International Criminal Court (ICC), the UN Human Rights Council, and other relevant organizations in the Americas to initiate similar investigations.
Compounding the gravity of the situation, Venezuela is currently under an ICC investigation alleging similar human rights violations, which parallels the accusations levied against El Salvador. The group of Venezuelans were deported in March under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, allowing the US president to detain and deport individuals from "enemy" nations without traditional legal protocols, with many detainees accused of gang associations, a claim their families and attorneys contest.
These individuals were confined in the notorious Terrorism Confinement Center, primarily allocated for gang members, lacking access to legal representation or contact with family members, leading to international outcry when images surfaced showing them arriving handcuffed and shaved-headed.
They were released in mid-July in a prisoner exchange for US nationals held in Venezuela, with a senior official in the Trump administration expressing gratitude towards Bukele for brokering the arrangement. Additionally, amid heavy US sanctions against Venezuela, a recent Supreme Court ruling could potentially revoke Temporary Protected Status for about 350,000 Venezuelans residing in the US.
