El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele has made a surprising offer to the United States—his country is willing to take in convicted criminals, including U.S. citizens, and house them in its massive high-security prison.
This proposal was made during a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as confirmed by a State Department spokesperson, Tammy Bruce.
Bukele’s offer comes as part of a broader plan to bolster El Salvador’s prison system by receiving a fee in exchange for incarcerating deported criminals.
The deal would include not just Salvadoran MS-13 members who entered the U.S. illegally but also violent undocumented immigrants from other nations, such as members of Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang.
The Terrorism Confinement Center: A Controversial Prison
The proposed facility for these inmates is the Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (Terrorism Confinement Center), a sprawling prison complex located about 44 miles southeast of San Salvador
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This mega-prison, which cost $100 million to build, is currently the largest in Latin America.
It was constructed in just seven months in 2022 as part of Bukele’s aggressive crackdown on gang violence following a deadly spike in crime.
El Salvador’s security forces launched a major operation after 60 people were murdered on March 26, 2022.
Bukele quickly declared a State of Exception, giving police and military broad powers to arrest suspected gang members without court orders.
Since then, thousands of alleged criminals from notorious groups like MS-13 and Barrio 18 have been detained, filling up the newly built prison.
Life Inside El Salvador’s Mega-Prison
The Terrorism Confinement Center spans 410 acres, with eight massive pavilions surrounded by a 36-foot-high wall stretching over 1.3 miles.
The prison currently holds around 13,000 inmates but has a capacity for 40,000.
Conditions inside are extreme.
Inmates spend nearly all their time locked inside overcrowded cells, with only 30 minutes a day for movement—during which they remain chained.
The cells, each designed for up to 100 detainees, contain 80 iron bunks without mattresses, two sinks, and two toilets.
There is no ventilation, and temperatures can soar to 95 degrees Fahrenheit during the day.
Security is airtight.
The facility blocks all communication with the outside world, and anyone entering the prison must pass through multiple layers of security checkpoints.
A Nation Transformed by Bukele’s Hardline Approach
Despite criticism from human rights groups, many Salvadorans view the prison as a symbol of safety and progress.
Under Bukele’s leadership, El Salvador has transitioned from one of the most dangerous countries in the world to the safest in the Americas, at least according to his administration.
Before the prison opened in February 2023, Bukele declared, “How did we do it? By putting criminals in jail. Is there space? There is now.”
Controversy Over Bukele’s Offer to the U.S.
Bukele’s proposal to house foreign prisoners, including U.S. citizens, has sparked mixed reactions.
Critics argue that turning incarceration into a for-profit venture raises ethical concerns and risks corruption.
“Incentivizing imprisonment by turning it into a business is a dangerous idea,” one skeptic wrote in response to Bukele’s announcement.
“Now add the fact that these prisoners will be sent to another country, and it gets even worse.”
Manuel Flores, leader of El Salvador’s leftist opposition party, strongly opposed the plan, saying it made the country look like “Washington’s backyard to dump its garbage.”
However, some supported the idea, suggesting that tougher incarceration policies might deter criminals.
“This could make career criminals think twice,” one supporter wrote.
“If they knew a third strike meant being sent to a prison like this, they’d reconsider their actions.”
What’s Next for U.S.-El Salvador Prison Talks?
As discussions between El Salvador and the U.S. continue, it remains to be seen whether this controversial proposal will move forward.
While Bukele sees it as an opportunity to make El Salvador’s prison system financially sustainable, critics worry about the implications for human rights and international law.
One thing is certain—Bukele’s approach to crime continues to divide opinions both at home and abroad.
Would the U.S. actually outsource part of its prison system to El Salvador? Time will tell.
This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!
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