Venezuelan detainees deported to El Salvador's CECOT mega-prison under the Trump administration detail brutal abuse, including violence and sexual assault, by guards. Hundreds of Venezuelans, accused without evidence of gang affiliation, endured inhumane conditions for months before a recent prisoner exchange freed them. The detainees, who entered the US legally, deny gang ties. Human rights groups condemn the actions of both US and Salvadoran authorities, citing due process violations and potential torture. The US government maintains the detainees were gang members, offering no evidence.

Prepared by Rachel Morgan and reviewed by editorial team.