El Salvador is repatriating dozens of detained Venezuelans in trade for US nationals held in Venezuela, the governments of the US and El Salvador introduced on Friday.
The central American nation despatched roughly 250 prisoners incarcerated in its infamous Cecot (Centre for the Confinement of Terrorism) jail in return for the discharge of 10 US nationals from Venezuela.
The planeload of migrants deported from the US to El Salvador is scheduled to reach in Maiquetía, Venezuela afterward Friday.
Relations between Salvadorean chief Bukele and US President Donald Trump have warmed considerably in current months, particularly as Bukele has agreed to detain deported US migrants.
A senior administration official instructed reporters on Friday that, with the discharge, there are presently now not any US nationals being held by the federal government of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela.
“At the moment, we’ve handed over all of the Venezuelan nationals detained in our nation, accused of being a part of the prison group Tren de Aragua (TDA),” Bukele stated in a put up on X.
He stated the trade was completed in return “for a substantial variety of Venezuelan political prisoners” in addition to the US residents.
In a separate put up, US Secretary of State Marc Rubio confirmed the trade and thanked Bukele and American officers.
The Venezuelans had initially been deported by the US below the Trump administration to El Salvador earlier this yr, below the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, which provides a US president energy to detain and deport natives or residents of “enemy” nations with out common processes.
A senior Trump administration official instructed reporters on Friday that El Salvador made the “impartial choice” to launch the Venezuelan prisoners – which it considers to be gang members – for humanitarian causes.
The trade of Venezuelans for Individuals facilitated by El Salvador highlights the sturdy relationship between Trump and Bukele – the self-styled “world’s coolest dictator”.
“This deal wouldn’t have been potential with out President Bukele,” the administration official stated. “We prolong our deep, deep gratitude.”
The Salvadoran chief visited Trump within the White Home in April, the place the pair appeared pleasant as they spoke to reporters, usually laughing and cracking jokes collectively.
Bukele has backed the deportation of migrants from the USA to El Salvador’s Cecot most safety jail.
Trump stated on the time that Bukele is “actually serving to out” the US out by facilitating these detentions, because the Salvadoran president responded that his nation is “very keen to assist”.
Across the identical time, Bukele first proposed swapping Venezuelan deportees for “political prisoners”, together with members of the family of Venezuelan opposition figures, journalists and activists detained in a authorities electoral crackdown in 2024.
“The one cause they’re imprisoned is for having opposed you and your electoral fraud,” he wrote to Maduro on X.
“Nevertheless, I suggest a humanitarian settlement that features the repatriation of 100% of the 252 Venezuelans who had been deported, in trade for the discharge and give up of an equivalent quantity (252) of the hundreds of political prisoners you maintain.”
The senior administration official stated that whereas the deal solely pertained to US nationals stored in Venezuela, the Trump administration continues to be actively engaged on the discharge of “dozens” of political prisoners held by the Maduro authorities.
