Additional Coverage:
Deported Venezuelans Allege Abuse in Salvadoran Prison
Three Venezuelan migrants deported from the U.S. and held in El Salvador’s notorious CECOT prison have come forward with allegations of abuse. Mervin Jose Yamarte Fernandez, Francisco Garcia Casique, and Ysqueibel Penaloza, recently returned to Venezuela as part of a prisoner exchange, shared their accounts with ABC News. They claim they were beaten, denied access to legal counsel, and subjected to humiliating treatment during their detention.
The men were among over 250 Venezuelan migrants deported in March under the Alien Enemies Act, a wartime authority. The U.S. government justified the deportations by alleging the migrants were members of Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang labeled a “hybrid criminal state” and a threat to national security. All three men vehemently deny any gang affiliation.
Yamarte Fernandez described a chaotic arrival in El Salvador, mistakenly believing he had landed in Venezuela. Upon realizing their destination, panic erupted among the deportees.
He recounted being shackled, beaten, and forcibly shaved upon arrival at CECOT. He further detailed ongoing abuse, including being struck in the genitals if they attempted to dress themselves.
“We had bruises all over,” Yamarte Fernandez stated. “We didn’t know what to do.” He described cramped cells, initially holding 10 people, later swelling to around 80.
Garcia Casique echoed these claims, alleging both physical and psychological torment. He said guards taunted them, claiming they would never leave, not even with intervention from the Pope or Venezuelan President Maduro. He, too, denies any gang involvement and expressed confusion over his detention, stating he worked as a barber in the U.S. and aspired to support his family back home.
Penaloza described the experience as a kidnapping, alleging he was denied communication and legal representation. He recounted similar accounts of beatings, forced haircuts, and public humiliation.
He noted that conditions temporarily improved during visits, with mattresses, pillows, and better food provided. All three men described a sudden improvement in conditions just prior to their release, including medical attention, toiletries, and new clothes.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin defended the deportations, asserting that the individuals posed a threat to the American people and emphasizing the administration’s tough stance on gangs. However, DHS did not address the specific allegations of abuse.
While Penaloza and Garcia Casique stated they would not return to the U.S., Yamarte Fernandez expressed a desire to return, but only after a change in administration, citing his dreams and responsibilities to his family.