Venezuela alleges migrants tortured in Salvadoran prison
Venezuelan men face alleged torture in El Salvador
Background of the deportations
March 2025 marked the beginning of a controversy when the United States deported 252 Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador. Under President Donald Trump, the men were claimed to be gang members and were sent to a notorious Salvadoran prison without court hearings, a strategy that triggered international outrage.
Vietnam reports a probe into the treatment of the returned migrants
Attorney General Tarek William Saab presented photographs and testimonies at a Caracas press conference. Among the survivors were men who reported having been beaten, sexually abused, and fed rotten food. Their bodies bore bruises, rubber‑bullet marks, and one man carried a split lip.
Testimonies of the imprisoned migrants
- Andry Hernandez Romero, a 32‑year‑old beautician, described the ordeal as “torture, physical aggression, psychological aggression, and sexual abuse.”
- Several migrants spoke of being confined in “inhuman cells,” denied sunlight and ventilation, and given unsafe drinking water.
- None of the men had access to lawyers, relatives, or even a simple conversation with their families.
Repatriation and the investigation
The Venezuelan Government is interviewing the returned migrants. They are undergoing medical exams, receiving new Venezuelan ID cards, and being interviewed by the prosecutor’s office.
Family reunions and emotional moments
Mercedes Yamarte, 46, had prepared a welcome party for her 29‑year‑old son, Mervin, one of the men released last Friday. Despite having no idea of the exact moment of his arrival, she recorded a moment of joy when she heard, “Mom, it’s Mervin.” The emotional reunion was described as “a joy, a joy I cannot describe.”
Criminal accountability and international implications
Saab said that the Venezuelan investigation would target Nayib Bukele and other Salvadoran officials for alleged crimes against humanity. He urged the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the UN Human Rights Council to act. Meanwhile, the United States claimed that the release of the migrants was part of an exchange for 10 American residents and dozens of Venezuelan “political prisoners.”
Venezuela’s current international scrutiny
Venezuela itself faces an investigation by the ICC in The Hague for similar allegations of torturing prisoners and denying them access to legal representation. According to the rights group Foro Penal, hundreds of people are held for political reasons in Venezuela. A recent crackdown on protests that broke out last July resulted in the arrest of 2,400 people, 28 deaths, and 200 injuries. President Nicolas Maduro insisted that negotiations for the migrants’ release were conducted “only with the United States of America” and not with President Bukele.
