El Salvador to send detained Venezuelans to Caracas in prison swap for Americans, sources say | World News
El Salvador’s government will send detained Venezuelans to Caracas in exchange for Americans held in Venezuela, two US government officials told Reuters on Friday.
One of the officials said El Salvador would send 238 Venezuelans held in its maximum security CECOT prison to Caracas and that the Venezuelan government would release five US citizens and five US permanent residents to American custody.
The second official confirmed the exchange was taking place and said the figures appeared to be close to what was expected.
Story continues below this ad
Venezuela’s Communications Minry and El Salvador’s presidency did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The US State Department declined to comment. The White House and the US Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The Venezuelans were sent to El Salvador in March after President Donald Trump invoked the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to swiftly deport alleged members of the Tren de Aragua gang without going through normal immigration procedures.
Family members of many of the Venezuelans and their lawyers deny they had gang ties, and say they were not given a chance to contest the Trump adminration’s allegations in court.
Venezuela’s government has always decried the CECOT detention of its citizens as a violation of human rights and international law. But the government’s critics say the country holds activs and opposition figures in similar conditions in Venezuela.
