Deported Venezuelan migrants recount abuse in El Salvador prison
3 Min Read
252 Venezuelan migrants returned home after enduring brutal abuse in El Salvador’s Cecot prison. Deported by the US under a controversial deal, they describe torture, deception, and inhumane treatment.
-
Arturo Suárez, one of the Venezuelan migrants deported months ago to El Salvador by the United States under the US President Donald Trump administration's immigration crackdown, is welcomed by his sister Paola and brother Alan as he returned home, in Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday, July 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Cristian Hernandez)
252 Venezuelan migrants have returned home after enduring what many described as systematic abuse inside El Salvador's Cecot prison. Deported by the US without due process, these individuals were transferred under a Trump administration deal, despite many lacking ties to criminal activity. The deportation and detention triggered widespread outrage and concern over human rights violations.
Carlos Uzcátegui embraced his sobbing wife and stepdaughter in western Venezuela after a year apart. The 33-year-old spent four months inside the infamous Cecot prison, where, according to him, Venezuelan migrants suffered beatings, humiliation, and extreme psychological distress.
"Every day, I woke up looking at the bars, wishing I wasn't there. They beat us, they kicked us," Uzcátegui stated, pointing to bruises on his abdomen.
In Caracas, reggaeton artist Arturo Suárez returned to his family with similar stories. "It is hell. We met a lot of innocent people," he said. Directing his message at those responsible for their suffering, he cited scripture, "Vengeance and justice is mine, and you are going to give an account to God [the] Father."
According to the Washington Post, Julio González Jr., one of the deportees, recalled believing he was being flown to Venezuela, only to find himself shackled and arriving in El Salvador. "We were yanked by our feet, beaten and shoved off board," he said. Upon arrival, guards greeted them with insults and aggression.
Inside Cecot, prisoners were denied phone calls, legal representation, and personal belongings. Andry José Hernández Romero, a legally processed asylum-seeker, described being targeted under an obscure wartime law. His return was marked by a warm reception from his entire hometown in Venezuela, as reported by ABC News 10.
Trump's $6 million deportation deal
The Venezuelan migrants were transferred to Cecot prison after Trump's administration struck a $6 million deal with El Salvador to house deported migrants. Accused of gang affiliation with Tren de Aragua, many were sent to the facility on the basis of flimsy or unsubstantiated claims. Human rights organizations have long documented widespread torture, deaths, and maltreatment within Cecot.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro condemned the treatment of the migrants, confirming that many were subjected to both physical and psychological torture. Government officials released footage of the deportees describing abuses, including rape, pellet-gun wounds, and prolonged beatings.
Following the allegations, Venezuela’s attorney general launched an investigation into El Salvador President Nayib Bukele’s role in the deportation and detention of Venezuelan migrants. Bukele’s office has yet to respond publicly.
