US EditionTears of Joy as Venezuelan Migrants Return From Salvadoran Prison 'Hell'
VENEZUELA, JUL 21 – The swap involved 252 Venezuelan migrants detained in El Salvador and 10 U.S. nationals held in Venezuela, with reports showing 75% of detainees had no criminal record in the U.S.
- On July 21, 2025, President Nicolás Maduro praised the humanitarian operation that rescued 252 Venezuelan migrants, including six children, from El Salvador's notorious CECOT prison.
- The migrants were deported in March 2023 by the U.S. to CECOT, a high-security prison created by Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele during a controversial, much-criticized war on gangs.
- Former detainees described harsh and dehumanizing conditions at CECOT, including being shackled, ordered to kneel with guns pointed at them, denied legal access, and suffering physical abuse.
- The migrants’ release resulted from a prisoner swap among Venezuela, the U.S., and El Salvador, exchanging them for 10 American citizens and multiple Venezuelan political prisoners.
- Maduro condemned ongoing child separations in the U.S., demanded reunification of detained minors, and highlighted Venezuela's strong economic growth alongside the prisoner release.
14 Articles
14 Articles
U.S. deportee, freed from Salvadoran prison, describes ‘horror movie’
Julio González Jr. had agreed to be deported to Venezuela. When the 36-year-old office cleaner and house painter boarded the flight in Texas in March, he assumed it would take him back to his home country.
Japan Today
Bangkok PostTears of joy as Venezuelan migrants return from El Salvador prison 'hell'
Tears of joy and relief flowed freely Tuesday as Venezuelan Maikel Olivera returned home to his mother's embrace after surviving four months of "real hell" in a Salvadoran…
The Repatriation of the 252: A Diplomatic Milestone in an Unprecedented Context
By Misión Verdad – Jul 21, 2025 Some 252 Venezuelan citizens who were being held captive at the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) in El Salvador have returned to Venezuela thanks to the efforts of Venezuela’s government. These individuals had been detained since March, setting a worrisome precedent in the region regarding human trafficking. All were imprisoned under agreements between US President Donald Trump and his Salvadoran counterpart…
President Nicolás Maduro Celebrates Rescue of 252 Venezuelans and Six Children from CECOT - teleSUR English
President Nicolás Maduro praises the successful humanitarian operation rescuing 252 Venezuelans, including six children, from El Salvador’s CECOT detention center, condemns ongoing separation of children in the US, and highlights Venezuela’s economic growth and binational zones. Related: Venezuela Accuses El Salvador of Torturing Deported Migrants The President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, celebrated the humanitarian success in securing the saf…
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