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Released Venezuelan Migrant Speaks Out on Life in El Salvador’s ‘Mega‑Prison’
In mid‑July 2025, 252 Venezuelan migrants—most of whom had lived in the United States—were released from El Salvador’s immense counter‑terrorism detention centre, CECOT, under a three‑way prisoner exchange involving the U.S., El Salvador, and Venezuela. Among them was Carlos Uzcátegui, whose return to his home in Lobatera, Venezuela, became a deeply emotional moment after four harrowing months behind bars.
A Journey Turned Nightmare
Uzcátegui, who had migrated to the U.S. seeking work and applied for asylum, found himself instead detained by U.S. authorities in March 2025. He and others were accused—often solely based on tattoos—of belonging to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, despite having no criminal records or evidence. The migration was executed under the rarely used Alien Enemies Act of 1798, marking one of the boldest deportation initiatives of the Trump administration.
Instead of deportation to Venezuela, Uzcátegui and over 250 others were flown to El Salvador and confined in CECOT, a sprawling facility built in under a year and capable of holding up to 40,000 inmates under maximum security.
Conditions inside CECOT
Former detainees painted a grim picture:
• Metal bunks without mattresses or sheets, in overcrowded cells holding 150+ inmates, with limited access to water and only 30 minutes’ outside exercise per day.
• Beatings at all meals, violent reprisals to protests, use of rubber bullets and tear gas, forced head-shavings, and threats such as “Welcome to hell. You will never get out”
• Many inmates struggled psychologically and physically; hunger strikes were met with harsh repression, isolation, and denial of legal representation or family contact.
Uzcátegui described waking up daily behind bars, praying for freedom. He showed physical bruises from alleged beatings. Fellow detainees like Julio González Jr., Joen Suárez, and Ángel Blanco Marín described the experience as a “horror movie” and said the guards treated them like animals—shackled, beaten, robbed, and denied access to legal aid.
Release Through Diplomatic Deal
On July 18, 2025, the three governments finalized a humanitarian exchange: Venezuela secured the release of all 252 detained Venezuelan migrants, returning them home in exchange for 10 American citizens and some political detainees held in Venezuela, including separated migrant children.
U.S. authorities had paid approximately $6 million to El Salvador to house the detainees—although civil rights groups argue the deal circumvented U.S. courts and constitutional safeguards.
Aftermath: Seeking Justice and Healing
Upon returning to Venezuela, Uzcátegui and others underwent medical evaluations and began reuniting with their families. But many continue to bear psychological and physical scars. Venezuelan authorities, including the nation’s attorney general, have opened investigations into allegations of systemic abuse by Salvadoran officials, including President Nayib Bukele.
One notable case is Neiyerver Adrián León Rengel, a 27‑year‑old deported under similar circumstances, who initiated legal proceedings against the U.S. government seeking $1.3 million in damages. He claims he was never charged, tortured, and denied due process, and his lawyers assert he was labeled a gang associate merely due to tattoos.
Voices from Returned Migrants
Each former detainee adds a sobering testimony:
“Every day, we asked God for the blessing of freeing us… everyday…I woke up looking at the bars, wishing I wasn’t there.” — Carlos Uzcátegui.
“It is hell. We met a lot of innocent people.” — Arturo Suárez, Venezuelan singer pictured upon release.
These stories converge to portray CECOT as a place of alleged human rights violations—where migrants were treated as political pawns, denied judicial recourse, and forcibly disappeared from legal protection.
What this reveals
• Legal and moral crisis: The handling of these deportations has raised alarms about abuse of executive power and violations of international law and due process.
• Diplomacy under the spotlight: The prisoner exchange highlights deep ties between the U.S., El Salvador, and Venezuela—but also exposed vulnerabilities in migrant protections.
• Voices finally heard: For the first time, dozens of former detainees have spoken on international platforms—breaking through anonymity to demand accountability.
The release of these detainees marks a turning point in global awareness of CECOT, its detainee practices, and the broader consequences of deportation policies that bypass judicial oversight.
Attached is a news article regarding the singer who was released from Salvador prison
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/im-free-now-says-venezuelan-150011134.html
Article written and configured by Christopher Stanley
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