El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele has proposed a prisoner exchange with Venezuela. He wants to send back 252 Venezuelans who were deported by the United States and are now jailed in El Salvador. In return, he is asking Venezuela to release the same number of political prisoners.
This offer targets Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro directly. Bukele says the deportees include people accused of serious crimes, while Venezuela’s political prisoners are jailed for opposing the government. Rights groups agree that Venezuela has political prisoners, but the Maduro administration denies it.
Bukele Makes a Public Proposal
Bukele made the offer on social media. He said the swap would be a humanitarian agreement. He also suggested including nearly 50 other foreign prisoners, including some from the United States.
The Venezuelans in El Salvador were sent there in recent weeks as part of a U.S. crackdown. Many are accused of belonging to the Tren de Aragua gang, known for violent crimes across Latin America.
Venezuela Demands Details
The Venezuelan government quickly responded. Chief prosecutor Tarek William Saab criticized the plan. He asked what crimes the deportees had committed and whether they had proper legal rights.
Venezuela claims it has no political prisoners. However, human rights groups say thousands of people are locked up for protesting or speaking out against the government.
U.S. Deportations Under New Policy
The 252 Venezuelans were deported under a policy revived by U.S. President Donald Trump. He used the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, a rarely used law that gives the president power to deport citizens of enemy nations without going through the usual legal steps.
This law was previously used only during wartime. Legal experts have raised concerns about its use in today’s immigration enforcement. In a recent ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court temporarily blocked more deportations while legal challenges continue.
El Salvador Houses Gang Suspects
The deported Venezuelans are being held in El Salvador’s high-security Terrorism Confinement Center. The U.S. pays El Salvador to keep them there. This prison is known for strict conditions and was built as part of Bukele’s anti-gang campaign.
Bukele’s government has arrested tens of thousands in its crackdown on gangs. The move has reduced crime but also raised alarms among human rights groups. Critics say some people are detained without trials or clear charges.
Maduro Calls Deportations a Violation
President Nicolás Maduro has strongly opposed the U.S. deportations. He called them a violation of human rights and said sending Venezuelans to a foreign prison was unjust.
He has not directly accepted or rejected Bukele’s offer. His government continues to defend its record, saying it follows legal processes. But watchdog groups like Human Rights Watch report many cases of people jailed for political reasons in Venezuela.
Rights Groups Watch Closely
Human rights organizations are watching both countries. In Venezuela, they point to unfair trials and torture of political prisoners. In El Salvador, they warn about mass arrests and poor prison conditions.
The proposed prisoner swap highlights concerns in both nations. While Bukele’s offer draws attention to Venezuela’s political repression, it also raises questions about El Salvador’s role in U.S. immigration policy.
