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President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador has initiated a proposal to conduct a prisoner swap with Venezuela. This deal would involve repatriating hundreds of Venezuelans who were deported from the United States in exchange for individuals Bukele refers to as “political prisoners.”
In a statement shared on X, Bukele announced his intent to exchange 252 Venezuelans currently held in El Salvador’s Cecot mega prison for an equal number of political prisoners that he claims are unjustly detained in Venezuela, many of whom are relatives of opposition figures.
“Unlike the detainees in our custody, many of whom have serious criminal records, your political prisoners are incarcerated solely for opposing your regime and its electoral fraud,” Bukele stated, addressing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. He emphasized the lack of legitimate charges against these individuals.
Authorities from both the United States and El Salvador claim that many of the deportees in Cecot are associated with the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua and some with the MS-13 gang. However, substantial evidence linking these inmates to criminal organizations has yet to be provided.
Venezuelan officials have labeled the deportation of these primarily Venezuelan migrants as a form of “kidnapping,” insisting that those deported are not criminals and demanding their return.
In response to Bukele’s proposal, Tarek William Saab, the Attorney General of Venezuela, called for details regarding the identities and health conditions of the Venezuelans detained at Cecot, accusing the Salvadoran government of violating the human rights of these individuals.
During his announcement, Bukele highlighted several specific “political prisoners” in Venezuela, including Rafael Tudares, exiled opposition presidential candidate Edmundo González’s son-in-law. González, who left Venezuela after claiming to have won the presidency in an election against Maduro last July, reported that his son-in-law was detained shortly before Maduro’s inauguration.
Additionally, Bukele mentioned Corina Parisca de Machado, the mother of María Corina Machado, a leader in the Venezuelan opposition, who is reportedly experiencing significant political pressure.
The proposal also includes a potential exchange involving four political figures currently seeking asylum at the Argentine Embassy in Venezuela. These individuals have been residing in the embassy for over a year and face charges of terrorism and treason related to their collaborations with Machado.
Asylum seekers have reported feeling “under siege” from Venezuelan security forces, who have established checkpoints to regulate movement around the embassy, though they have not entered the building itself.
Bukele’s proposition includes journalist Roland Carreño, lawyer and activist Rocío San Miguel, as well as nearly 50 foreign nationals, including citizens of the United States.
This initiative surfaces amidst heightened scrutiny of Bukele’s administration, particularly regarding its acceptance of hundreds of migrants whom the Trump administration has labeled as gang affiliates or violent offenders.
As one of the most popular leaders in the region, Bukele has publicly referred to himself as “the world’s coolest dictator” and “philosopher king,” even as he enacts measures that suspend certain civil liberties to combat gang violence in El Salvador.
His approach to governance has sparked criticism from international human rights organizations, which allege that his crackdown on crime has led to widespread abuses. Nevertheless, domestically, he remains highly popular, having secured reelection last year with a significant margin.
This story is developing and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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www.yahoo.com