Trump deports convicts No cutlery and only chains - this is how tough the mega prison in El Salvador is
Donald Trump is pursuing a tough deportation policy: criminals are to be imprisoned in El Salvador's mega prison. In 2024, the local government even used a video to promote the prison, where even US citizens could end up.
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- El Salvador has signed an agreement with the USA in which it agrees to accept deported migrants and violent criminals for a fee.
- Human rights organizations criticize the inhumane detention conditions in El Salvador's prisons.
- Experts question the legal basis for the deportation of US citizens.
- President Nayib Bukule's rigorous anti-gang policy has reduced the murder rate by 57 percent.
- However, he has come under international criticism for mass imprisonment and possible human rights violations.
In an unprecedented agreement, El Salvador has agreed to accept violent criminals from the USA and deported migrants of any nationality into its prisons.
The agreement, which was announced by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele, has sparked fierce criticism from human rights organizations, as reported by CNN and the Keystone-SDA news agency.
Rubio praised El Salvador's decision as an "act of extraordinary friendship" towards the USA. According to the agreement, El Salvador should not only take back its own citizens, but also illegal immigrants - regardless of their nationality. Rubio explicitly named members of the notorious gangs MS-13 and Tren de Aragua.
El Salvador is also offering to take in imprisoned US citizens. President Bukele confirmed this on X (formerly Twitter) and explained that his country was prepared to transfer convicted criminals, including US citizens, to the notorious CECOT mega-prison for a fee.
"For the USA, the fee would be relatively low, but for us it would be considerable," says Bukele. Elon Musk also speaks out on X and comments on Trump's plan as a "good idea".
Massive criticism from human rights organizations
Human rights groups warn of the inhumane detention conditions in El Salvador. According to the US State Department, the prisons there are overcrowded and prisoners often have no access to adequate hygiene, drinking water or medical care.
Roman Palomares, Chairman of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), described the deal as a "sad day for America". Mneesha Gellman, professor of international politics, spoke of a "bizarre proposal that could violate international human rights laws".
Resistance is also stirring in El Salvador. Manuel Flores, Secretary General of the left-wing Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN), sharply criticized the agreement: "Are we a backyard or a dumping ground for other countries?"
Trump's tough immigration policy escalates
The agreement with El Salvador is part of the new administration's tougher immigration policy. In recent months, Trump had already pushed for deportation agreements with Venezuela, Mexico and Colombia and attempted to redirect asylum-seeking migrants to "safe third countries".
Particularly controversial: the legal basis of the agreement is questionable. Experts doubt that the deportation of imprisoned US citizens to another country would be constitutional. If the USA were to actually deport American criminals to El Salvador, massive legal resistance could be expected.
Advertising campaign for torture prison
Back in June 2024, the government of El Salvador published a kind of promotional video for the mega-prison. At the time, the government transferred more than 2,000 gang members to the prison. Most of the prisoners belong to the criminal organizations MS-13 and Barrio 18 - two of the country's most notorious gangs.
Since 2022, Bukele has been leading an unprecedented campaign against the country's organized gangs. His goal: the complete eradication of street crime. To this end, his government has already imprisoned over 70,000 people - a figure that has caused a stir worldwide.
No cutlery and no dumbbells
The inmates have to eat their meals - including rice, noodles and eggs - without cutlery, as the authorities fear that they could turn them into weapons.
Prisoners are only allowed to leave their cells for half an hour a day and are only allowed to exercise using their own body weight. Barbells or weights are banned to prevent violence among the prisoners.
Human rights groups are already sounding the alarm in 2024: according to reports, 174 prisoners were tortured and killed last year alone. The brutal prison conditions are the focus of international criticism.
Murder rate down by 57 percent
The government defends its actions. El Salvador's human rights commissioner emphasized that the rights of prisoners were being respected. Bukele himself celebrates the success of his actions and points to the drastic drop in the crime rate.
In fact, the crackdown has had an effect: The murder rate in El Salvador fell by almost 57 percent in 2022 - a huge improvement for a country that was once considered the most dangerous state in the world.
But the price for this security is high. Critics warn that Bukele's rigorous anti-gang crackdown not only affects criminals, but also innocent people who are imprisoned without due process.
