In March 2023, President Donald Trump utilized the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to label Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang as a foreign terrorist organization. This decision led to the U.S. deporting 238 Venezuelans, allegedly linked to the gang, to El Salvador. Upon arrival, these men were detained in one of the nation’s most infamous facilities, the Terrorism Confinement Center known as CECOT.
The detainees claim they have no ties to the gang and faced serious violations of their due process rights. After enduring months of confinement, they were repatriated to Venezuela in July as part of a prisoner exchange that saw Venezuela freeing several U.S. citizens held in their country.
Venezuela’s attorney general disclosed disturbing findings following interviews with the returned detainees, describing evidence of systemic torture in the Salvadoran prison. Reports included daily beatings, poor nutrition, and sexual abuse. These men are now attempting to readjust to life in Venezuela, having escaped the country’s ongoing political and economic crisis.
Among those recently returned are Arturo Suárez, Angelo Escalona, Frizgeralth Cornejo, and Ángelo Bolívar, who have begun the process of reconnecting with their families and adapting to life outside of incarceration.
Arturo Suárez, 34, a musician, was taken into custody in North Carolina while he gathered with friends to film a music video. On that day, ten individuals were arrested. In the Salvadoran prison, Suárez reported that music was banned, and he faced harsh beatings for singing. However, he persisted in his desire to express himself, creating a powerful song that resonated among the imprisoned Venezuelans, becoming a symbol of resilience and hope.
His lyrics include messages of faith and patience, with a promise of eventual return home.
Ángelo Escalona, just 18 at the time of his detention, had dreamed of becoming a DJ. He had saved diligently to purchase equipment and shared his aspirations with Suárez shortly before their arrest. With no tattoos or criminal record, Escalona felt the weight of injustice as he experienced the forced deportation to El Salvador.
Once the deportation flight landed, Escalona and his fellow Venezuelans attempted to resist taking off the plane, believing they did not belong there. Despite their pleas, Salvadoran police boarded and escalated the situation, using violence against those in the front.
Frizgeralth Cornejo, 26, had travelled across seven countries and navigated the dangerous Darién Gap to reach the U.S. When he sought political asylum at the border, he faced accusations of gang affiliation due to the tattoos he bore. While his companions were allowed entry, he was detained and subsequently deported to El Salvador.
Finally, Ángelo Bolívar, also 26, found himself arrested in Texas and transported to El Salvador. The tattoos he inherited as a family legacy led authorities to wrongfully perceive him as a member of the Tren de Aragua gang. Now back in Valencia, around 80 miles east of Caracas, he stands with the burden of his past stretching across borders, witnessing the profound struggle of survivors like him.
image source from：latimes
