The State Department claims that President Nayib Bukele has pledged to “accept and incarcerate violent” illegal immigrants.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Monday that the leader of El Salvador has made the unprecedented offer to imprison Americans who have been sent by their own nation.
Democratic nations rarely send their own citizens to serve prison terms overseas.
But President Nayib Bukele, whose broad-based campaign against crime has made him a national hero to many in President Donald Trump’s inner circle, offered Rubio the opportunity to do just that.
“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 stated to reporters in San Salvador.
“No country’s ever made an offer of friendship such as this,” Rubio stated.
“We are extremely appreciative. “Earlier today, I had a conversation with President Trump regarding this,” he stated.
According to Rubio, Bukele was likewise open to reclaiming both Salvadoran and foreign nationals.
Rubio seemed to imply that the prison transfer would target members of Latin American gangs that have obtained US citizenship, including Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua and El Salvador’s MS-13.
“Any unlawful immigrant and illegal immigrant in the United States who is a dangerous criminal — MS-13, Tren de Aragua, whatever it may be — he has offered his jails,” Rubio stated.
Trump has made expediting the deportation of millions of Americans without legal status a primary priority since returning to the White House last month.
Trump has attempted to suppress the US Constitution’s guarantee of birthright citizenship.
The US base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, which previous Democratic presidents planned to dismantle, will house 30,000 migrants, according to Trump’s plans.
The largest prison in Latin America|
A year ago, in an undeveloped area on the outskirts of Tecoluca, 75 kilometers (45 miles) southeast of San Salvador, Bukele opened the largest prison in Latin America as a symbol of his anti-crime efforts.
Enclosed by massive concrete walls, the prison can house 40,000 inmates, but it is now thought to house about 15,000.
Although some human rights organizations have criticized him, Bukele stormed back to power last year with the public appreciating the decline in violence in what was once one of the most violent nations in the world.
Bukele, 43, was wearing shoes and sunglasses as he showed the top US diplomat the expansive vista from his lakefront holiday home on Lake Coatepeque, an hour’s drive through the woodlands.
Bukele pointed to the cheering fans on a boat below and said to Rubio, grinning and briefly switching to English, “Ninety percent approval rating!”
Bukele told reporters that the countries were working on an arrangement that extends beyond a 2019 accord on taking migrants, hinting at his prison offer as he met Rubio.
“I think it’s much bigger and of greater scope than the agreement we did in 2019,” Bukele stated.
He referred to the US as “our largest partner, with which we must strengthen relations” and expressed his desire for close ties with Trump.
Deporting Venezuelans is something that the Trump administration is particularly keen to do.
Citing the economic and security catastrophe in the Nicolas Maduro-led South American nation, Trump has revoked the protection of around 600,000 Venezuelans from deportation orders issued by his predecessor Joe Biden since taking office last month.
ally in ideology
Biden also extended the protected status from deportation for over 232,000 Salvadorans in the United States, which the Trump administration has yet to alter.
Bukele openly allied himself with Trump on the eve of Rubio’s visit by supporting his attempt to cut off US foreign aid.
Bukele reiterated Trump’s billionaire pal Elon Musk’s talking points in an English-language post on X, claiming that the majority of US aid is used to support opposition groups, including non-governmental organizations.
According to official US figures, El Salvador received around $138 million in US aid during the fiscal year 2023, primarily for basic education and assistance for the government and civil society.
Last year, Tucker Carlson, a journalist close to Trump, and Donald Trump Jr., the president’s son, attended Bukele’s second inauguration.
