Venezuela's Attorney General announced an investigation into human rights abuses involving Venezuelan migrants detained in El Salvador’s CECOT prison, where allegations of torture, including sexual abuse and beatings, have emerged. Reports detail severe conditions faced by deported individuals who were allegedly denied legal representation and communication with family.
Venezuela Launches Investigation Into Alleged Torture of Migrants in El Salvador
Venezuela Launches Investigation Into Alleged Torture of Migrants in El Salvador
An inquiry into human rights abuses claims against Salvadoran authorities follows the return of over 250 Venezuelan migrants from prison.
Venezuela has initiated an investigation following severe allegations of human rights violations against more than 250 migrants detained in El Salvador, many of whom were repatriated to the country of origin after spending four months in prison. The Venezuelan Attorney General, Tarek William Saab, stated that reports indicate "systemic torture" within El Salvador's notorious Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), which has bred suspicions of ill-treatment, including sexual abuses and physical beatings, alongside substandard food provisions.
The migrants were deported from the United States in March under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, which grants the president authority to detain and send back individuals from "enemy" nations without following standard procedures. Allegations arose after detainees were accused of gang affiliations, a claim that relatives of the detained vehemently refute.
During a recent press conference, Saab presented graphic evidence purportedly showing detainees with visible injuries, including bruises and missing teeth. While the claims have not been independently verified by news sources like BBC, they have prompted Venezuela to call for scrutiny on El Salvador’s leadership, particularly President Nayib Bukele, Justice Minister Gustavo Villatoro, and Head of Prisons Osiris Luna Meza.
Venezuela is encouraging international watchdogs such as the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the UN Human Rights Council to pursue an investigation, paralleling the ongoing investigation into its own treatment of prisoners by the ICC in The Hague.
Many detainees were last documented in photographs from Bukele's government, showing them being led in handcuffs with shaven heads, triggering an international outcry. Following negotiations between the two countries, the deported individuals were released in mid-July in exchange for American nationals held in Venezuela, with a senior official from the Trump administration acknowledging Bukele's role in securing the deal.
The U.S. has placed heavy sanctions on Venezuela, and recent Supreme Court rulings may affect the temporary protected status for around 350,000 Venezuelans currently living under that designation.
