El Salvador proposes prisoner swap with Venezuela involving US deportees

El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele has offered a controversial proposal for a prisoner swap with Venezuela, suggesting the repatriation of 252 Venezuelans deported by the United States and imprisoned in his country in exchange for the release of 252 political prisoners held by the Venezuelan government.

Bukele made the offer directly to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro via social media, Caliber.Az reports citing foreign media.

In his post, Bukele highlighted that many of the deported Venezuelans were convicted of serious crimes, including "rape and murder," but noted that Venezuelan political prisoners were jailed solely for opposing Maduro's government.

"I want to propose you [Maduro] a humanitarian agreement calling for the repatriation of 100% of the 252 Venezuelans who were deported, in exchange for the release... of the identical number from among the thousands of political prisoners that you hold," Bukele wrote.

He also mentioned nearly 50 prisoners of other nationalities, including US citizens, as part of the proposed swap.

This offer comes after the United States deported over 200 Venezuelans to El Salvador in recent weeks, accusing them of ties to the Tren de Aragua criminal gang. US authorities have paid El Salvador to house these deportees in its notorious high-security Terrorism Confinement Center.

The Venezuelan government, however, strongly rejected the proposal. Tarek William Saab, Venezuela's chief prosecutor, criticized Bukele's offer, demanding clarification on the deportees' alleged crimes, whether they had been tried in court, and if they had access to legal counsel. The Venezuelan government maintains that it has no political prisoners, a claim that has been widely disputed by human rights organizations.

Bukele, known for his tough stance on crime and self-proclaimed "world's coolest dictator," has gained significant domestic support for his anti-gang policies, including the crackdown on organized crime. However, his administration's treatment of the deported Venezuelans has faced criticism, with Maduro condemning the US deportations as "kidnapping" and a "massive abuse" of human rights.

The US has faced challenges to its mass deportation policies, with the Supreme Court recently ordering a pause on the deportation of another group of alleged Venezuelan gang members. President Donald Trump’s hard-line immigration policies, including the use of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, continue to fuel controversy and legal battles.

The situation between El Salvador, Venezuela, and the United States remains a complex and evolving issue, with diplomatic and humanitarian implications at play.

By Vafa Guliyeva