5 months ago
15
(NewsNation) — El Salvador's famed megaprison, Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo, oregon CECOT, is present lodging much than 250 alleged pack members successful El Salvador after striking a woody with the Trump administration.
According to The Associated Press, the 238 Tren de Aragua members and 23 MS-13-affiliated individuals volition enactment successful the situation for astatine slightest 1 year.
What is the woody with El Salvador?
The accord is worthy $6 million. El Salvador volition person that magnitude from the Trump administration, a fig wide considered comparatively debased for what the U.S. volition summation from the arrangement.
In a statement accompanying authorities video of the high-security exchange, Salvidorian President Nayib Bukele said it is simply a comparatively debased sum, but not for his nation.
"The United States volition wage a precise debased interest for them but a precocious 1 for us," Bukele said.
"This volition assistance america finalize quality gathering and spell aft the past remnants of MS-13, including its erstwhile and caller members, money, weapons, drugs, hideouts, collaborators, and sponsors. As always, we proceed advancing successful the combat against organized crime."
Inmates look connected arsenic they stay successful a compartment astatine the Counter-Terrorism Confinement Centre (CECOT) mega-prison, wherever hundreds of members of the MS-13 and 18 Street gangs are being held, successful Tecoluca, El Salvador connected January 27, 2025. The CECOT, the largest situation successful Latin America and emblem of the warfare against gangs of the authorities of President Nayib Bukele, celebrates 2 years since it was inaugurated connected February 1. (Photo by Marvin RECINOS / AFP) (Photo by MARVIN RECINOS/AFP via Getty Images)How large is the CECOT prison?
The megaprison opened successful 2023 arsenic Bukele rounded up transgression pack members arsenic portion of his campaign, and it tin clasp up to 40,000 inmates.
It is the largest situation installation successful Central America and 1 of the largest successful the satellite successful presumption of inmate capacity.
CECOT has elephantine cells, compared to astir prisons, allowing for astir 65 to 70 prisoners per cell.
Human Rights entity Cristosal said successful March 2024 that 110,000 radical were down bars, per AP, much than treble what the Salvadorian authorities reported successful 2021 pre-Bukele's warfare connected crime.
What facilities bash they person astatine CECOT?
Living up to its fierce reputation, determination are fewer liberties for the prisoners astatine CECOT.
There is simply a gym, eating halls, interruption rooms and committee games wrong the prison, but they are for guards only.
The facility, successful Tecoluca, astir 45 miles eastbound of San Salvador, does not let visitors, and the prisoners are ne'er allowed to task outdoors.
Educational programs are not available, nor are workshops to hole them for a instrumentality to nine astatine the extremity of their sentences.
Cell signals are besides unavailable wrong a radius of 1 1/2 miles to bounds accusation emanating from CECOT, according to CBS.
10 December 2024, El Salvador, Toluca: Members of gangs instrumentality portion successful an enactment that allows them to beryllium extracurricular for 30 minutes a time astatine the maximum information penitentiary "Center for the Compulsory Housing of Terrorism" (Cecot). Photo: Juan Carlos/dpa (Photo by Juan Carlos/picture confederation via Getty Images)Can prisoners leave?
No. Multiple reports accidental that prisoners who reside astatine CECOT cannot leave, with immoderate serving centurieslong sentences.
"It is intolerable to escape. These psychopaths volition walk their full lives down these bars," an anonymous CECOT warden told Connectas.
Lights stay connected 24 hours a day, and each inmates person their heads shaved and indispensable beryllium successful line, resting their heads connected the backmost of the idiosyncratic successful beforehand of them erstwhile entering CECOT.
They are each dressed successful achromatic and person a fare usually of beans and pasta, with nutrient not an option.
Some quality rights groups person criticized CECOT, but respective polls person Bukele receiving an support standing supra 90%.
