Central American Nation Proposes Hosting American Inmates
El Salvador has proposed to "outsource" segments of the US prison system, offering to house dangerous criminals for a fee. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
El Salvador is prepared to accept any convicted criminals, whether they are illegal immigrants or American citizens, for a fee.
President Nayib Bukele has suggested that the United States could "outsources part of its prison system" by incarcerating dangerous criminals in a notorious mega-jail in El Salvador. This high-security facility was established to detain individuals apprehended during a government initiative aimed at tackling gang violence.
Bukele presented the idea during a recent discussion with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was making his first official visit to the Central American nation. Rubio disclosed this proposal, expressing appreciation for Bukele’s offer, stating that the U.S. was “profoundly grateful” for it.
“He has offered to house in his jails dangerous American criminals in custody in our country, including those with US citizenship and legal residency,” Rubio informed reporters, further noting that “no country’s ever made an offer of friendship such as this.”
Additionally, El Salvador has expressed support for U.S. President Donald Trump’s initiatives to combat illegal immigration by agreeing to accept deported migrants and “criminals of any nationality, be they MS-13 or Tren de Aragua.” Rubio referenced the two significant transnational crime syndicates working in Central and North America, noting that MS-13 primarily consists of Salvadorians while Tren de Aragua is largely comprised of Venezuelans.
Following this revelation, Bukele confirmed the offer, portraying it as an "opportunity to outsource part of its prison system" for the U.S.
“We are willing to take in only convicted criminals into our mega-prison in exchange for a fee. The fee would be relatively low for the US but significant for us, making our entire prison system sustainable,” the president shared on X, alongside images from the infamous facility.
The facility, known officially as the Terrorism Confinement Center, was inaugurated in early 2023 as a key component of Bukele's strategy to combat organized crime—a central element of his inaugural presidential campaign in 2019.
With the capacity to house approximately 40,000 inmates, this maximum-security prison is the largest in Latin America and among the largest worldwide. As of June last year, it was operating at about a third of its capacity, housing around 14,500 inmates.
Reports indicate that inmates at CECOT endure extremely cramped and harsh conditions, facing constant surveillance and being allowed out of their cells for just 30 minutes a day while shackled.
Bukele’s "iron fist" strategy against organized crime has drawn repeated criticism from international human rights organizations, which point to alleged violations including arbitrary detention and mistreatment of inmates. The Salvadoran president insists that his policies have significantly reduced gang-related crime in the country.
Mark B Thomas contributed to this report for TROIB News
President Nayib Bukele has suggested that the United States could "outsources part of its prison system" by incarcerating dangerous criminals in a notorious mega-jail in El Salvador. This high-security facility was established to detain individuals apprehended during a government initiative aimed at tackling gang violence.
Bukele presented the idea during a recent discussion with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was making his first official visit to the Central American nation. Rubio disclosed this proposal, expressing appreciation for Bukele’s offer, stating that the U.S. was “profoundly grateful” for it.
“He has offered to house in his jails dangerous American criminals in custody in our country, including those with US citizenship and legal residency,” Rubio informed reporters, further noting that “no country’s ever made an offer of friendship such as this.”
Additionally, El Salvador has expressed support for U.S. President Donald Trump’s initiatives to combat illegal immigration by agreeing to accept deported migrants and “criminals of any nationality, be they MS-13 or Tren de Aragua.” Rubio referenced the two significant transnational crime syndicates working in Central and North America, noting that MS-13 primarily consists of Salvadorians while Tren de Aragua is largely comprised of Venezuelans.
Following this revelation, Bukele confirmed the offer, portraying it as an "opportunity to outsource part of its prison system" for the U.S.
“We are willing to take in only convicted criminals into our mega-prison in exchange for a fee. The fee would be relatively low for the US but significant for us, making our entire prison system sustainable,” the president shared on X, alongside images from the infamous facility.
The facility, known officially as the Terrorism Confinement Center, was inaugurated in early 2023 as a key component of Bukele's strategy to combat organized crime—a central element of his inaugural presidential campaign in 2019.
With the capacity to house approximately 40,000 inmates, this maximum-security prison is the largest in Latin America and among the largest worldwide. As of June last year, it was operating at about a third of its capacity, housing around 14,500 inmates.
Reports indicate that inmates at CECOT endure extremely cramped and harsh conditions, facing constant surveillance and being allowed out of their cells for just 30 minutes a day while shackled.
Bukele’s "iron fist" strategy against organized crime has drawn repeated criticism from international human rights organizations, which point to alleged violations including arbitrary detention and mistreatment of inmates. The Salvadoran president insists that his policies have significantly reduced gang-related crime in the country.
Mark B Thomas contributed to this report for TROIB News
