El Salvador to be America’s new prison for deported migrants

The agreement between Bukele and Washington turns the Central American country into a prison for migrants and criminals deported from the US

The United States has found a creative solution to relieve its prisons: export criminals and illegal migrants directly to El Salvador. In exchange for a ‘relatively low’ fee for Washington but ‘significant’ for San Salvador, President Nayib Bukele ‘triumphantly’ declared that he had agreed to receive in his own detention facilities those expelled from America. A deal that, to hear the protagonists tell it, suits everyone.

The agreement was signed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during his visit to San Salvador and provides for the transfer to El Salvador not only of members of the notorious MS-13 gang illegally present in the United States, but also criminals from other countries, including those affiliated with the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.

Bukele, known for his muscular handling of crime, announced the deal in his usual straightforward style: ‘We have offered the United States the opportunity to outsource part of their prison system. Translated: Washington pays, San Salvador incarcerates. And it doesn’t end there.

A prison business on an international scale

While the US solves part of the problem of prison overpopulation and illegal immigration, El Salvador obtains funds to maintain its prison system, which in recent years has seen an unprecedented escalation of mass arrests. With more than 70,000 suspected gang members already behind bars, Salvadoran prisons are becoming veritable citadels of order, where inmates spend their days amid armed surveillance and total absence of rights.

But the advantages for Bukele do not stop at funding. In fact, the United States has granted a waiver releasing economic assistance to strengthen the Salvadoran border control and security forces. Aid that will allow the government of San Salvador to improve surveillance systems, monitor suspicious migration flows and cooperate more closely with US authorities.

Trump, Bukele and the security axis

The understanding between Washington and San Salvador marks a further strengthening of ties between Bukele and Donald Trump. The Salvadoran president was among the few foreign leaders invited to the tycoon’s inauguration ceremony on 20 January, and this agreement confirms the harmony between the two on the issue of security.

State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce spoke of ‘an unprecedented understanding’ to counter mass illegal immigration, which is putting pressure on US borders. The Salvadoran authorities, for their part, said they were ready to arrest anyone who falls into the category of ‘criminal migrant’, regardless of nationality.

A questionable experiment

While Bukele celebrates El Salvador’s new role as an international prison hub, questions arise about the fate of prisoners and respect for human rights. The country’s prisons are already at the centre of criticism for the extreme conditions in which prisoners are held, often without trial and in situations of extreme overcrowding.

For the United States, the agreement represents a practical solution to manage migratory pressure without addressing the internal complexities of judicial and immigration reform. For Bukele, on the other hand, it is an opportunity to reinforce his image as an inflexible leader on security, while making cash in the meantime.

Ultimately, a perfect example of pragmatic diplomacy: the US sends its problems abroad, El Salvador cashes in and incarcerates. It only remains to be seen if this model will work or if it will turn into a boomerang for both.

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