On the night of March 15, three planes carrying 261 men touched down in El Salvador, most of whom were Venezuelans designated by the Trump Administration as gang members and deported without due process. I was present to document their arrival.
For over a year, I have been embedded throughout El Salvador’s society, chronicling its transformation through interviews with government officials, everyday people, and even those on death row. From remote island fishermen to the President’s desk, I’ve collected stories that would shock many. The scene at the airport was chaotic, with detainees attempting to make a last stand upon landing.
Upon disembarking, the Venezuelans were met with an army of soldiers and police, their faces filled with anger and defiance. However, within hours, these expressions transformed as they donned designer clothing and interacted with authorities in a vastly different manner. One detainee even fought against U.S. agents on the plane, but was swiftly subdued.
The detainees were then loaded onto buses, escorted by black-clad guards, before being taken to the notorious CECOT prison facility. Conditions within the intake room were brutal, with detainees subjected to physical punishment, electric shavers, and stripped naked. The atmosphere was one of fear, as these men, once full of life and hope, became mere shadows of their former selves.
As I watched, 80 men crammed into cold cells, devoid of basic comforts, it seemed as though they had entered a different world – one so harsh and unfamiliar that they may have been sent to space. The Venezuelans who arrived in El Salvador under these circumstances are now victims of an unforgiving system, stripped of their identities and left to fend for themselves.
Source: https://time.com/7269604/el-salvador-photos-venezuelan-detainees