Report Details Systematic Torture of Venezuelans Deported to El Salvador Under Trump Administration

More than 252 Venezuelan nationals expelled to El Salvador under a mass deportation policy enacted during the Trump administration endured systematic and prolonged torture and abuse, including sexual assault, according to a report published today.

The report, jointly compiled by Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Cristosal, details conditions at El Salvador’s “terrorist continent center” (Cecot) that violated UN standards for prisoner treatment, citing “inhumane prison conditions, including prolonged incommunicado detention, and inadequate food.” The groups allege the Trump administration knowingly deported the men, many of whom were asylum seekers, despite awareness they would face mistreatment or threats to their lives. The US paid the Bukele regime $4.7 million to cover detention costs. This case raises serious questions about the responsibility of nations when transferring individuals to countries with documented human rights concerns.

“We reached the conclusion that the Trump administration is complicit in systematic torture and enforced disappearances of the Venezuelans sent to El Salvador,” said Juanita Goebertus, HRW’s Americas director. The report, based on over 200 interviews, alleges detainees were subjected to constant beatings and other forms of ill-treatment, with some instances of sexual violence. According to the report, only 3% of those deported had been convicted of a violent crime in the US, despite being labeled as members of the Tren de Aragua gang. You can learn more about the work of Human Rights Watch and their investigations into global abuses.

One former inmate, identified as Gonzalo Y, recounted being told upon arrival at Cecot, “You have arrived in hell.” The report also details beatings following visits from US officials, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who posted a video from outside a cell housing the deportees. Three prisoners reported sexual abuse, with one alleging he was forced to perform oral sex on a guard. The men were ultimately released in July as part of a deal securing the release of Americans held in Venezuela. The State Department has previously documented harsh prison conditions in El Salvador, as detailed in their El Salvador country information page.

A White House spokesperson did not address the report’s substance, stating President Trump remains committed to removing “dangerous criminal and terrorist illegal aliens.”