Overview

• Nayib Bukele announced a proposal to repatriate 252 Venezuelans deported by the U.S. and detained in El Salvador in exchange for 252 individuals he claims are political prisoners in Venezuela.
• The deportees are held in El Salvador's CECOT prison, built as part of Bukele's anti-gang crackdown, and are accused of ties to the Tren de Aragua gang, though their affiliations remain disputed.
• Bukele's proposed swap includes high-profile figures such as journalists and human rights advocates detained following Venezuela’s contested 2024 election.
• The Venezuelan government denies holding political prisoners, asserting that all detainees were convicted of crimes, while NGOs report over 800 political detentions in the country.
• The U.S. has funded El Salvador with $6 million to detain the deportees, and legal challenges persist against the deportations, including a recent U.S. Supreme Court injunction.