Washington: Venezuelan migrants sent by the United States to El Salvador They were “tortured” and subjected to sexual violence and other forms of humiliation At the large prison for gang members where they were held for four months, the NGO denounced on Wednesday Human Rights Watch (Human Rights Watch).
the american president, Donald Trump, This was in agreement with his Salvadoran counterpart, Nayib BukeleIn March and early April, he moved to 252 migrants from Venezuela to the Terrorism Detention Center (Sicot)By accusing them without evidence of belonging to the Tren de Aragua criminal gang.
“The cases of torture and ill-treatment suffered by Venezuelans in El Salvador were not isolated incidents committed solely by some abusive guards or riot police; But (also) systemic human rights violationsHuman Rights Watch said.
Torture, humiliation and inappropriate conditions
report, Titled “They Came to Hell”Published in collaboration with the Central American NGO cristosalWhich closed its offices in El Salvador last July after being denounced “Repressive escalation” against human rights defenders.
According to the report, Detainees remained in an “incommunicado system”Malnutrition and poor hygiene conditions.
“The Trump administration paid El Salvador millions of dollars to arbitrarily detain Venezuelans “Who were then subjected to brutal beatings on an almost daily basis,” Human Rights Watch’s Americas director said in a statement. Juanita Gubertos.
The Venezuelans were repatriated in July as part of a prisoner exchange between Washington and CaracasWhich released ten American citizens and residents of Venezuela and about 80 political prisoners after months of negotiations.
Bukele, who also participated in the talks, confirmed in July that the agreement had been completed Repatriate “all Venezuelans” detained in Sicotthrough your X account.
“We have handed over all Venezuelan citizens detained in our country,” he said. Accused of belonging to the criminal organization Tren de Aragua (TDA). As presented to the Venezuelan regime in April, We are carrying out this exchange in exchange for a large number of Venezuelan political prisoners“As well as all the American citizens he kidnapped,” the Salvadoran president said in his statement.
The President also pointed out the difficulties facingNegotiations with the authoritarian regime which has long refused to release one of its most valuable currencies: His hostages“.
Human Rights Watch and Cristosal researchers They interviewed 40 Venezuelans who were detained in Sicot And 150 other people, including family members and lawyers.
Three Venezuelans said they were victims of “sexual violence” in prison. One of them said that four guards abused him and forced him to “perform oral sex” with each of them. While in detention, Human Rights Watch and Cristosal requested information about the arrests from the governments of El Salvador and the United States, but received no response.
By refusing to disclose information about the whereabouts of detainees, Both governments committed the crime of “enforced disappearance” in accordance with international law.the report charged.
Among the conclusions reached by the research are: Nearly half of the Venezuelans sent to Sicot had no court convictions Only 3% were convicted of violent crimes in the United States.
Relatives and lawyers told Human Rights Watch this At least 62 Venezuelans were expelled While their asylum procedures in the United States were ongoing.
Agence France-Presse
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