Maduro demands release: Venezuelan President demands El Salvador free hundreds of deported Venezuelans held in Cecot prison. Maduro’s demands came after Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele proposed a controversial prisoner swap.
In a televised address on Monday, Maduro described the deportees as “kidnapped” and called for Bukele to provide proof of life for the detained Venezuelans, allow their families and lawyers to visit them, and release them unconditionally.
The Prisoner Swap Proposal
The situation escalated when President Bukele suggested a prisoner exchange in a social media post. He offered to repatriate 252 Venezuelans detained in El Salvador in exchange for an equal number of political prisoners in Venezuela. Bukele stated that, unlike the Salvadoran detainees, many involved in crimes like murder and rape, the Venezuelan prisoners were mainly political dissidents who had committed no crimes other than opposing Maduro’s regime.
Bukele cited Corina Parisca de Machado, the mother of an opposition leader in Venezuela, and Rafael Tudares, the son-in-law of an exiled opposition presidential candidate, as examples of political prisoners. Additionally, Bukele suggested releasing four political figures who had applied for refuge at the Argentine Embassy in Venezuela.
Maduro Denounces Bukele’s Offer
Maduro responded swiftly, rejecting the swap and reaffirming his demand for the unconditional release of the detainees. He also demanded that Bukele release Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man mistakenly deported by the US and now detained in El Salvador. The US government maintains that Abrego Garcia is a terrorist and a member of the MS-13 gang. However, his legal status remains unknown, and US politicians are taking notice of his situation.
Growing Outrage in Venezuela
The detention of the deportees has sparked increasing outrage in Venezuela, with General Attorney Tarek William Saab calling the situation a violation of human rights. Saab requested the names and medical statuses of all detained Venezuelans and accused El Salvador’s government of mistreating its nationals.
Bukele’s Popularity and Controversy
Buke, who has gained significant popularity in El Salvador due to his aggressive stance on gang violence, faces criticism from international human rights groups. Some describe his methods as authoritarian. Global watchdogs are alarmed by his government’s war on gang violence, which includes widespread suspensions of civil liberties.
After winning reelection in 2024 with resounding support, Bukele is still one of the most well-liked politicians in Central America.
Source: CNN
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