**"You're in Hell": Harrowing Experiences of Venezuelan Deportees in El Salvador's Terrorism Confinement Center**
The repugnant conditions faced by Venezuelan deportees at El Salvador's notorious Terrorism Confinement Center, or CECOT, have left an indelible mark on the lives of those who were brutally subjected to torture, abuse, and dehumanization. Two Venezuelan men, Luis Muñoz Pinto and Wuilliam Lozada Sanchez, recount their harrowing experiences in the face of unrelenting brutality.
For Muñoz Pinto, a 27-year-old college student from Caracas, his life was turned upside down after he was detained by Customs and Border Protection in the United States. He had scheduled an appointment with CBP as part of the CBP One program, but was instead arrested and held for nearly six months before being sent to CECOT.
"It was like they were looking for a scapegoat," Muñoz Pinto said, describing how he was detained without any evidence of wrongdoing. "They just looked at me and told me I was a danger to society."
Once in CECOT, the Venezuelans faced unimaginable suffering. They were forced into cramped cells with metal bunks stacked four high, with no mattresses or sheets. Guards would beat detainees for hours on end, leaving them locked away in a small room known as "the island" with no light, ventilation, or contact with the outside world.
"The torture was never-ending," Muñoz Pinto said. "They would take you there and beat you for hours and leave you locked in there for days."
Human Rights Watch has documented that nearly half of the Venezuelans sent to CECOT had no criminal history. However, according to official records, only eight of the men had been convicted of a violent or potentially violent offense.
The Trump administration's use of the Alien Enemies Act to rapidly deport Venezuelan nationals, bypassing ordinary immigration proceedings, is particularly egregious. The law has not been used since World War II and is widely regarded as a tool for persecution.
Influencer videos reviewed by Human Rights Watch have provided critical evidence of the conditions inside CECOT. Satellite images and mapped recordings of the prison have also helped verify the stories of the deportees.
A federal judge recently ruled that the United States had maintained "constructive custody" over the Venezuelans who were sent to CECOT under the Alien Enemies Act, ordering the Trump administration to provide those men with due process they were denied.
The situation highlights the urgent need for accountability and action. As Koenig from U.C. Berkeley's Investigations Lab noted, "Whether it's the court of public opinion or at some point in a court of law," details like these can help bring about justice for the victims of CECOT.
The repugnant conditions faced by Venezuelan deportees at El Salvador's notorious Terrorism Confinement Center, or CECOT, have left an indelible mark on the lives of those who were brutally subjected to torture, abuse, and dehumanization. Two Venezuelan men, Luis Muñoz Pinto and Wuilliam Lozada Sanchez, recount their harrowing experiences in the face of unrelenting brutality.
For Muñoz Pinto, a 27-year-old college student from Caracas, his life was turned upside down after he was detained by Customs and Border Protection in the United States. He had scheduled an appointment with CBP as part of the CBP One program, but was instead arrested and held for nearly six months before being sent to CECOT.
"It was like they were looking for a scapegoat," Muñoz Pinto said, describing how he was detained without any evidence of wrongdoing. "They just looked at me and told me I was a danger to society."
Once in CECOT, the Venezuelans faced unimaginable suffering. They were forced into cramped cells with metal bunks stacked four high, with no mattresses or sheets. Guards would beat detainees for hours on end, leaving them locked away in a small room known as "the island" with no light, ventilation, or contact with the outside world.
"The torture was never-ending," Muñoz Pinto said. "They would take you there and beat you for hours and leave you locked in there for days."
Human Rights Watch has documented that nearly half of the Venezuelans sent to CECOT had no criminal history. However, according to official records, only eight of the men had been convicted of a violent or potentially violent offense.
The Trump administration's use of the Alien Enemies Act to rapidly deport Venezuelan nationals, bypassing ordinary immigration proceedings, is particularly egregious. The law has not been used since World War II and is widely regarded as a tool for persecution.
Influencer videos reviewed by Human Rights Watch have provided critical evidence of the conditions inside CECOT. Satellite images and mapped recordings of the prison have also helped verify the stories of the deportees.
A federal judge recently ruled that the United States had maintained "constructive custody" over the Venezuelans who were sent to CECOT under the Alien Enemies Act, ordering the Trump administration to provide those men with due process they were denied.
The situation highlights the urgent need for accountability and action. As Koenig from U.C. Berkeley's Investigations Lab noted, "Whether it's the court of public opinion or at some point in a court of law," details like these can help bring about justice for the victims of CECOT.
I'm so worried about the people being held in that terrorism confinement center in El Salvador. The conditions are absolutely horrific and it's unbelievable they're treating people this way 
. It's not right that they're being locked away without any evidence or due process 
. The US government should be ashamed of how they're handling these situations. We need to bring attention to this issue and make sure these people get the justice they deserve 
.
I'm still trying to wrap my head around this... what kind of place is El Salvador's Terrorism Confinement Center? It's like something straight out of a bad movie, you know? 
The thought of those guys being locked up for months without any evidence and being subjected to torture and abuse is just... ugh. 
I mean, what's the point of even calling it a detention center if they're not gonna provide basic human rights? It's like, we're better than that as humans. 
And now that a federal judge has ruled in their favor, I'm hoping those guys can finally get some justice and find a way back to their families. 
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. it's all about xenophobia and scapegoating. the fact that nearly half of them have no criminal record just adds insult to injury. we need to hold our government accountable for this kind of inhumane treatment. it's time for real reform, not just lip service 
sending them to some prison center in el salvador and treating them like dirt...it's just awful. and what's up with this alien enemies act thingy? sounds like some kinda trump-era power trip 
anyway, glad someone's speaking out about it, hopefully there'll be some real change soon 
but seriously, its so sad that ppl are being treated this way and nobody is holding anyone accountable. whats the point of having a system if u cant even trust it? 
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this whole thing is just heartbreaking I mean two guys get sent to this place with no proof of anything wrong and they're subjected to this nightmare. torture is never acceptable period. I don't think it's fair that they had to go through all that and then were denied due process. the fact that nearly half of them have no criminal history is just mind boggling. 
It's just crazy. The fact that they had to resort to influencer videos and satellite images to document their mistreatment is just heartbreaking. We need better systems in place to protect people like this, not just exploit them.
It's time for us to take a hard look at ourselves and our societies and make some real changes. 
THE WAY THOSE GUYS WERE TREATED IS ABSOLUTELY REPULSIVE AND UNACCEPTABLE!!! THEY WERE JUST MINDLESSLY IMPRISONED FOR NO REASON, LIKE A BUNCH OF ROGS IN AN OVEN!!! WHOEVER MADE THESE DECISIONS SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES! 
and then they get sent to this tiny room with no light or ventilation "the island" sounds so cruel it's like somethin outta a horror movie 
it's crazy that they're saying they didn't commit any crime just because of their nationality 
and now they're paying the price 
it's time for someone to take responsibility for this and fix the system 