El Salvador archbishop criticises nation's new role as 'prison'
The Catholic Archbishop of El Salvador, José Luis Escobar Alas, has urged the country's president, Nayib Bukele, not to transform it into "a big international prison." This plea refers to Bukele's agreement to detain citizens from El Salvador and Venezuela, who have been deported from the USA, in the largest prison in his country and the entire region.
What do you need to know?
- Archbishop José Luis Escobar Alas has made an appeal to the President of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, to cease converting the country into an "international prison."
- Deported citizens from the USA, from El Salvador and Venezuela, are being held in the Central Prison for Convicted Terrorists, a facility criticised by human rights organisations.
- The agreement with the USA was established in February, allowing the deportation of migrants regardless of their nationality.
Why is El Salvador accepting deportees from the USA?
Archbishop José Luis Escobar Alas expressed his concerns during a press conference, appealing to President Bukele to reconsider the policy regarding the detention of people deported from the USA.
The Central Prison for Convicted Terrorists, built by Bukele's government, has become the site for detaining those deported from the USA. Since 15th March, three groups of migrants have been accommodated there, including Venezuelans and Salvadorans, totalling 288 people. The agreement concerning this matter was reached in February during a meeting between the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, and President Bukele.
What are the consequences for El Salvador?
The decision to accept deported migrants has been criticised by international human rights organisations, which view the prison as a site of "inhumane" persecution. Bukele's agreement to accept migrants irrespective of their nationality is controversial, particularly given the accusations of membership in dangerous criminal organisations such as Mara Salvatrucha.
The Salvadoran Archbishop, Escobar Alas, at a press conference regarding the "mega-prison" where migrants deported from the USA are being directed by the country's authorities, stated: "It is not in the interest of any country to be a prison for other countries. We must fight for our country to be respected so we can live in peace."
