Venezuela has started an official investigation into reports that more than 250 of its citizens were mistreated while detained in an El Salvador prison after being deported from the United States.
The group, returned to Venezuela near Caracas last Friday, had been held at El Salvador’s high-security Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) since March.
They were deported by the US under the rarely used 1798 Alien Enemies Act, which allows the president to detain and deport individuals from countries considered hostile.
Many among the group were accused of gang ties, although relatives and legal advocates have denied those claims.
Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab shared statements and images allegedly showing the prisoners had suffered physical abuse, including visible injuries such as bruises and missing teeth.
Reports also described poor food quality, denial of contact with family or legal counsel, and sexual violence.
These allegations have not been independently verified.
The Venezuelan government has announced plans to investigate top Salvadoran officials, including President Nayib Bukele, Justice Minister Gustavo Villatoro, and Prison Director Osiris Luna Meza.
Venezuelan authorities have called on international organizations, including the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the UN Human Rights Council, to examine the situation.
Ironically, Venezuela is itself under investigation by the ICC for similar accusations of prisoner abuse and restrictions on legal rights.
The detained migrants were released in mid-July after a reported diplomatic agreement that involved the release of US nationals held in Venezuela.
The US expressed appreciation for El Salvador’s role in the deal.
Meanwhile, Venezuelan nationals in the US continue to face uncertainty after a Supreme Court ruling in May allowed for the end of Temporary Protected Status, putting approximately 350,000 people at risk of deportation.