In El Salvador, about 190 deaths of individuals in police custody have been reported. While the exact number of prisoners in the Terrorism Confinement Center (Cecot) is unclear, according to a Salvadoran media outlet from August 2024, there are around 14,500 inmates in the 'megaprison', which houses the most dangerous members of the country's main criminal structures.
Individuals incarcerated in Cecot do not have the right to receive visits from family members. Although the center's capacity is for 40,000 prisoners, it is unknown how many are currently there. Nayib Bukele agreed to receive migrants accused of serious crimes in the U.S. as prisoners in this maximum-security prison.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described this offer as an unprecedented gesture of friendship. Cecot could also house American inmates. No official has provided details on these transfers.
In October 2023, Amnesty International reported that 73,800 people had been detained in El Salvador for alleged gang ties. The goal of the agreement is for El Salvador to become a 'Safe Third Country' for the deportation of migrants from various nationalities.
Bukele's 'megaprison' has been a symbol of his fight against gangs, housing a large number of inmates since its opening in February 2022. Despite criticism and a lack of information about its funding, the prison continues to operate at 30% of its capacity.
The 'megaprison' is located in Tecoluca, more than 75 km from the capital, and is heavily guarded. Its construction took place during a state of emergency that suspended constitutional guarantees. The exact number of inmates in this center remains unknown, which was disclosed during a national tour by Bukele.
