Venezuelan Deportees Reunite with Families After Harrowing Detention in El Salvador

 A singer and a barber were among a group of Venezuelan nationals who returned home this week after months of detention in El Salvador’s controversial CECOT prison. The detainees had been deported from the United States earlier this year under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act invoked by President Donald Trump, amid allegations of gang affiliations.

Arturo Suarez, an aspiring musician, was welcomed with emotional embraces in El Valle, a working-class neighbourhood south of Caracas, by family members. Arrested in North Carolina in February while filming a music video, Suarez expressed disbelief and gratitude upon his release. “I’m free now, thank God. I still can’t believe it,” he said, fighting back tears while speaking to his wife and daughter in Chile via video call. He later serenaded loved ones gathered in his family’s home.

Suarez was among several Venezuelans deported to El Salvador in March, accused of links to the Tren de Aragua gang. His family has consistently denied any such affiliation, asserting he had travelled to the U.S. solely to advance his music career.

The returnees were repatriated to Venezuela last Friday as part of a prisoner exchange. They have since undergone medical assessments and debriefings by officials. Among them were brothers Darwin and Yeison Hernandez, aged 30 and 23 respectively, who were arrested alongside Suarez. Reunited with their family in Valencia, Darwin expressed gratitude for his freedom and the safety of his loved ones.

Allegations of Abuse at CECOT

Reports from the detainees paint a grim picture of conditions at El Salvador’s high-security CECOT prison. Both Suarez and Darwin Hernandez recounted threats from prison guards who allegedly told inmates they would only leave "in a coffin." Suarez disclosed that some inmates contemplated suicide during detention.

Another former detainee, 30-year-old Alirio Belloso, shared a harrowing account of physical abuse: “They beat us with their hands, shields, and clubs—everywhere on our bodies.” He was greeted by his family upon return to Maracaibo in western Venezuela. “If we were already dead, why die afraid? It is better to die fighting,” he said.

Their testimonies echo similar allegations of mistreatment aired on Venezuelan state television, including during a broadcast featuring President Nicolás Maduro. Venezuela’s Attorney General has since announced an official investigation into El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele and senior officials over the alleged human rights violations.

While Bukele has not publicly addressed the torture claims, he dismissed Venezuela’s reaction on social media, suggesting that Caracas was dismayed at having lost leverage with the U.S. following the release of ten Americans previously detained in Venezuela.

The White House directed all queries regarding CECOT to the Salvadoran authorities. Meanwhile, U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin rejected the abuse allegations, stating, “Once again the media is rushing to defend criminal illegal gang members. We hear far too much about false sob stories and not enough about their victims.”

U.S. immigration authorities have yet to respond to requests for comment. Reuters has not independently verified the claims of abuse.

Further Releases Underway

The prisoner exchange is expected to lead to the release of 80 Venezuelan detainees held within the country, including several opposition figures. As of Monday, judicial watchdog Foro Penal confirmed that 48 individuals had been released.

The Maduro administration has long faced criticism from domestic and international rights groups over the alleged abuse of political prisoners and activists.

One of the returnees, Andry Hernandez—a gay make-up artist who had an active U.S. asylum case—was deported to CECOT under gang membership accusations based solely on his tattoos. Hernandez, who alleged sexual assault during his imprisonment, was recently able to contact his parents in Capacho, near the Colombian border.

“Every day, I wondered if he was eating while I had a plate in front of me,” said his father, Felipe. His mother, Alexi Romero, said she is awaiting her son’s return with open arms