US Leader Attributes Crime Reduction to CECOT Prison
Donald Trump has linked the deportation of criminals to El Salvador‘s infamous Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (CECOT) prison to a significant drop in crime rates in the US. He described the prison as a place where inmates are referred to as ‘dead men walking.’
The CECOT, located 45 miles east of San Salvador, can hold up to 40,000 inmates and plays a pivotal role in President Nayib Bukele‘s initiative to combat organized crime in the region. Since its establishment in January 2023, the prison has faced accusations of human rights violations.
Nonetheless, it has garnered support from various influential figures, including Trump, who praised the facility ahead of the upcoming US midterm elections on his Truth Social account. He stated, “This is why murder and other crimes in America are at record lows,” while claiming the US is sending its ‘killers, drug dealers and thugs’ to El Salvador.
Conditions Inside CECOT: A Harsh Reality
Access to the CECOT is heavily restricted, with the Salvadoran government controlling media coverage. This was evident in a Channel 5 documentary, where journalist Richard Madeley encountered difficulties in obtaining information from prison staff or interviewing inmates.
Despite the challenges, Madeley described the grueling conditions faced by prisoners. The prison is illuminated 24/7, forcing inmates to live under constant artificial light. Those placed in isolation cells experience complete darkness and silence for 30 days, prompting Madeley to remark, “[The main prison] would seem like freedom.”
Inmates receive a daily diet of 1,800 calories consisting of rice, beans, and tortillas, which they consume without utensils. They are confined for 23.5 hours each day in large cells, allowed only brief periods for light exercise. Recreational activities are prohibited, and the only reading material available is the Bible.
Are US Criminals Being Deported to CECOT?
Trump’s statements imply that criminals from the US are being sent to CECOT, but the accuracy of this claim is uncertain. Reports from March 2025 indicated that 261 Venezuelans were deported to CECOT under Trump’s immigration policies, but they were released back to Venezuela in July, marking the only known instance of inmates leaving the facility.
Former detainees have recounted their experiences, with one alleging that the prison’s director, Belarmino GarcÃa, greeted them upon arrival by saying, “Welcome to hell. Welcome to the cemetery of living men. The only way you leave here is dead.” Recently, it was reported that 100 El Salvadorans were deported back to their home country, although it remains unclear if they were held at CECOT.
