The 78-year-old Republican expressed his eagerness last month to send convicted criminals of any nationality to a notoriously violent ‘mega-prison’ in El Salvador, where inmates are denied visitation rights and are never allowed outside.
Inmates remain in a cell at the Counter-Terrorism Confinement Centre (CECOT) mega-prison, where hundreds of members of the MS-13 and 18 Street gangs are being held, in Tecoluca, El Salvador (MARVIN RECINOS/AFP via Getty Images)
Now, more than 200 alleged members of a Venezuelan criminal organization have been flown to the Central American country, despite US District Judge James E. Boasberg having temporarily halted the deportations to having taken place on Saturday (March 15).
The order came after Trump attempted to force them through via a wartime declaration designed in the 18th century that would assist in deporting the alleged gang members.
After Boasberg informed the Trump administration that his ruling meant that all flights should be halted for the time being, he was informed by attorneys that two flights were already in the air.
One was bound for El Salvador while the other was jetting to Honduras. Despite verbal instructions, the planes weren’t turned around.
US President Donald Trump and President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador pictured back in 2019 (SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
Taking to Twitter yesterday (March 16), President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador reacted to a post about Trump disobeying court orders. He wrote: “Oopsie…Too late.”
However, White House secretary Karoline Leavitt issued a statement to say that Trump and his administration ‘did not refuse to comply with a court order’.
Posting on social media about his new arrivals, Bukele wrote: “Today, the first 238 members of the Venezuelan criminal organization, Tren de Aragua, arrived in our country. They were immediately transferred to CECOT, the Terrorism Confinement Center, for a period of one year (renewable).
“The United States will pay a very low fee for them, but a high one for us.
“Over time, these actions, combined with the production already being generated by more than 40,000 inmates engaged in various workshops and labor under the Zero Idleness program, will help make our prison system self-sustainable. As of today, it costs $200 million per year.”
He continued: “On this occasion, the U.S. has also sent us 23 MS-13 members wanted by Salvadoran justice, including two ringleaders. One of them is a member of the criminal organization’s highest structure.
This will help us finalize intelligence gathering and go after the last remnants of MS-13, including its former and new members, money, weapons, drugs, hideouts, collaborators, and sponsors.
“As always, we continue advancing in the fight against organized crime. But this time, we are also helping our allies, making our prison system self-sustainable, and obtaining vital intelligence to make our country an even safer place. All in a single action.”
Adding: “May God bless El Salvador, and may God bless the United States.”
