In the video published by the Salvadoran president on his social networks, he can see how the authorities come down from the planes to the detainees, before a strong police deployment.
Subsequently, the members of the criminal structures are transferred to the CECOT in several buses guarded by dozens of patrols.
“On your knees!” Shouts one of the prison agents upon receiving the detainees within the prison center.
“Today the first 238 members of the Venezuelan criminal organization of Aragua arrived in our country. They were immediately transferred to the CECOT, the terrorism confinement center, for a period of one year (renewable), ”Bukele published in English in X.
He added that “the United States will pay a very low rate for them, but a high rate for us”, which “will contribute to the self -sustaining of our penitentiary system”, which “currently costs 200 million dollars a year.”
According to a publication of The graphic press, The United States government would pay El Salvador US $ 20,000 a year for each member of the criminal structure that houses in its prisons. This information published by the Salvadoran media is based on a memorandum obtained by the news agency AP.
The Salvadoran president stressed that “the United States has also sent us 23 members of the MS-13 MS-13 sought by Salvadoran Justice, including two leaders. One of them is a member of the highest structure of the criminal organization. ”
The US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, announced this Sunday that the transfer was given under the law of foreign enemies invoked on the eve.
Rubio detailed in X that Bukele had offered to keep the accused of being members of the Aragua train “in their excellent prisons at a fair price”, which in his opinion “will also save money” to US taxpayers.
“Once again, President Bukele has shown that he is not only the strongest security leader in our region, but also a great friend of the United States,” the head of US diplomacy added in a statement.
Rubio, however, said that the members of the Aragua train sent to El Salvador were 250 and not 238 as Bukele said.
We have fir 2 Dangerous Top MS-13 Leaders Plus 21 of its Most Want Back To Face Justice in El Salvador. Also, as promised by @PotusWe feel over 250 alien enemy members of a Aragua Which El Salvador has added to hold in their see good jails at a fair price that will …
– Secretary Marco Rubio (@secrubio) March 16, 2025
Foreign enemies law
To accelerate deportations against Train members of Aragua, which was declared by the United States as a foreign terrorist group in February, President Donald Trump decided this Saturday, March 15, apply the foreign enemies law, which dates back to 1798 and that had not been invoked since World War II (1939-1945).
The transfer of the detainees was made despite a federal judge had prevented President Trump from invoking the Law of Foreign Enemies.
However, the Government of El Salvador has not detailed under which law has imprisoned these people, since they have not committed crimes in the Central American country, or if the exception regime has been applied, in force since March 2022 and that it suspends constitutional guarantees to combat local gangs.
