Trump Could Potentially Send US People To The “Worst Prison In The World” With “Inhumane Rules”

President Donald Trump now has the capability to send individuals from the United States to El Salvador, a country known for its notoriously harsh prison conditions.

In a bid to address gang-related violence, the administration of President Nayib Bukele inaugurated the maximum-security facility known as Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (CECOT) in 2023.

This facility, located in Tecoluca, is designed to accommodate the most dangerous criminals in the country and is considered one of the most secure prisons globally, with a capacity for 40,000 inmates.

The prison is fortified by 19 watchtowers, two concrete walls, and two electric gates, while a dedicated security team monitors the inmates continuously.

Miguel Sarre, a member of the UN Subcommittee for the Prevention of Torture, has referred to it as a “concrete and steel pit,” yet it seems the Trump administration endorses CECOT.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on February 3 that President Bukele has “agreed to the most unprecedented, extraordinary migratory agreement anywhere in the world.” He expressed that Bukele is open to accepting individuals deported from the United States, regardless of their nationality.

Rubio elaborated, “We can send them, and he will place them in his jails.” He also noted that Bukele has offered to accept dangerous criminals currently incarcerated in the United States, even if they are US citizens or legal residents.

The Salvadoran president indicated that he has “provided the United States of America the option to outsource part of its prison system,” although he mentioned that this would be “in exchange for a fee” and that he would only accept convicted criminals.

Leire Venta, a correspondent for BBC News Mundo, shared her observations from a visit to the prison last year, noting, “It is the middle of the night, but in here, the artificial lights are never turned off.”
A gentle breeze passes through the lattice ceiling, offering a momentary relief from the oppressive heat. The temperature within the cells can soar to 35°C during daylight hours, and there is no alternative means of ventilation.

Vigilant guards, cloaked in hoods, oversee the area from above, weapon in hand.

Below, inmates ascend to the four-story bunks designated for their rest. Lacking mattresses or sheets, they are forced to lie on cold metal surfaces.

They consume the meals provided to them—rice, beans, hard-boiled eggs, or pasta—using only their hands.

She recounted that the director of the facility remarked, “These are the psychopaths, the terrorists, the murderers who have left our nation in sorrow.”

“Do not make eye contact with them. Any object can be transformed into a lethal weapon.”