Venezuela has strongly criticised the US for invoking a rarely used wartime law to deport over 200 alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua to El Salvador.
The controversial move, which was swiftly blocked by a US judge, has sparked outrage from Caracas, which called it a violation of human rights.
In a statement on Sunday, Venezuela’s government condemned the deportation, calling it “anachronistic, illegal, and in violation of human rights.” The statement also expressed “profound indignation” at reports that children as young as 14 were among those deported.
El Salvador’s presidential office has yet to comment on the situation, and it remains unclear what charges the alleged gang members will face in the country or whether minors were included in the deportation.
El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele confirmed on X (formerly Twitter) that the country had received 238 alleged members of Tren de Aragua. They were immediately transferred to a terrorism detention center, where they will be held for a year, subject to renewal.
Bukele also revealed that the US would pay El Salvador $6 million for the arrangement, according to an internal memo. However, he suggested that the financial burden on El Salvador would be far greater, stating, “The United States will pay a very low fee for them, but a high one for us.”
Additionally, El Salvador has deported 23 members of the Salvadoran gang MS-13 as part of its own crackdown on organized crime.
Venezuela has called on the international community, particularly the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), to take action against what it described as a “dangerous precedent” for the region.
The deportation has further strained US-Venezuela relations and raised concerns about human rights violations in the handling of suspected gang members. As international scrutiny intensifies, the legal and diplomatic fallout from this controversial move remains uncertain.
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