San Salvador: El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele has proposed an unprecedented plan to imprison US convicts in his country, a suggestion that has garnered praise from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Bukele offered this deal during Rubio's visit to his residence near San Salvador, stating that El Salvador is prepared to house American criminal offenders in its recently opened largest prison in Latin America for a fee.
El Salvador President Nayib Bukele posted a tweet from his official X page informing about the proposal to US to admit prisoners in the mega prison (CECOT) the post reads: "We have offered the United States of America the opportunity to outsource part of its prison system. We are willing to take in only convicted criminals (including convicted U.S. citizens) into our mega-prison (CECOT) in exchange for a fee. The fee would be relatively low for the U.S. but significant for us, making our entire prison system sustainable."
He described the proposal as an opportunity for the US to outsource part of its prison system, claiming the fee would be manageable for the US but would significantly benefit El Salvador’s prison sustainability.
Following a three-hour discussion, Marco Rubio United States Secretary of State, calling the proposal as "extraordinary," noting it was a unique demonstration of friendship between the two nations. The plan includes imprisoning dangerous American criminals as well as looking after gang members from Latin America, such as MS-13, in El Salvador’s facilities. However, it's important to note that the US State Department has previously criticized El Salvador's prisons for being overcrowded and hazardous, with inadequate sanitation and facilities.
Additionally, Rubio mentioned Bukele’s willingness to accept Salvadoran citizens and foreign nationals, broadening the scope of their migratory agreement. This offer marks a significant shift in international cooperation regarding criminal justice between El Salvador and the United States.
Marco Rubio emphasized that any dangerous criminal among unlawful immigrants in the U.S., such as members of MS-13 or Tren de Aragua, has been targeted for deportation. Following his return to the White House, Donald Trump prioritized the swift deportation of millions without legal status.
Additionally, Trump proposed detaining 30,000 migrants at Guantanamo Bay, a facility that many Democratic presidents aimed to close. El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele, known for his stringent security measures, is viewed as a critical ally by the Trump administration in combating migration issues. Since assuming office in 2019, Bukele's government has arrested over 80,000 individuals, significantly reducing homicides in what was previously regarded as one of the globe's most violent nations.
Despite Bukele facing criticism from human rights organizations due to reports of mass torture and abuse within the country’s overcrowded prisons, he experienced a resurgence in power last year as the public appreciated the decreased crime rate. The situation in El Salvador and the U.S. government's stance on immigration intertwine, revealing complex dynamics and differing views on security and human rights amidst efforts to curb illegal immigration.
El Salvador Mega Prison
El Salvador's Terrorism Confinement Center known as the, CECOT, is the largest and most recent prison in the country, capable of holding up to 40,000 inmates. The prison was constructed in late 2022 during an extensive gang crackdown in El Salvador.