The humanitarian organization Cristosal accuses El Salvador and the United States of coordinated human rights violations against deported Venezuelan migrants, demanding international accountability and reparations.

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From CECOT to Venezuela: The Controversial Repatriation of Venezuelan Migrants and Its Challenges

In a devastating revelation, the human rights NGO Cristosal has denounced that both El Salvador and the United States have infringed upon the human rights of Venezuelan migrants deported and incarcerated unjustly in El Salvador before being forcibly sent back to Venezuela in a prisoner exchange with Washington. This case spotlights systemic abuses against vulnerable migrant populations amid geopolitical tensions.

According to Cristosal, which recently ceased operations in El Salvador due to increasing repression by President Nayib Bukele’s government, the deported Venezuelan migrants’ illegal detention represents a “very particular scenario with grave consequences for hundreds of families.” The NGO underlines that these abuses were committed in a coordinated manner by both the Salvadoran and US governments, displaying blatant disregard for human dignity.

📄 #DeportadosAlEncierro | EE. UU. deportó ilegalmente a más de 250 venezolanos y los encerró en cárceles salvadoreñas sin juicio ni defensa durante 4 meses.

En nuestro nuevo análisis, examinamos la responsabilidad estatal detrás de estos hechos. 🧵 pic.twitter.com/8RCx2q7aBu

— Cristosal (@Cristosal) July 22, 2025

The text reads: [#DeportadosAlEncierro] | The US illegally deported more than 250 Venezuelans and locked them up in Salvadoran prisons without trial or defense for four months.

In our new analysis, we examine the state responsibility behind these actions.

“This situation places two States acting in concert to commit serious human rights violations, trampling on the dignity of individuals,” the NGO emphasized in its latest report. Cristosal warns that such collusion between imperialist powers and regional governments entrenches a pattern of dehumanization targeting migrants and political prisoners alike.

Cristosal insists that international human rights bodies must intervene to clarify the responsibilities of both countries and implement effective accountability mechanisms. The NGO stressed that neither El Salvador nor the United States can evade their obligations, urging them to guarantee reparations and protection for the victims who remain abandoned and at risk.

El Salvador, as the state exercising control over the deported migrants’ incarceration conditions, must ensure reparations, prevent forced disappearances, and comply with established international human rights standards, Cristosal demands.

📢 #ComunicadoCristosal | Tras 25 años de trabajo en El Salvador, suspendemos operaciones en el país ante la escalada de criminalización.

Nuestra labor continúa, reorganizada y comprometida, desde Guatemala y Honduras.

Para más información. ⬇️ #CristosalNoSeDetiene pic.twitter.com/pwHGb2ptdg

— Cristosal (@Cristosal) July 17, 2025

The text reads: [#ComunicadoCristosal] | After 25 years of work in El Salvador, we are suspending operations in the country due to the escalation of criminalization.

Our work continues, reorganized and committed, from Guatemala and Honduras.

For more information. [#CristosalNoSeDetiene]

The NGO further criticized the bilateral agreement between El Salvador and the US, which facilitated the illegal deportation of migrants into a Salvadoran prison system stripped of legal protections and judicial oversight. This exposes deportees to grave violations with no safeguard mechanisms, deepening their vulnerability.

Cristosal’s denunciation is a crucial call to action for progressive forces and international institutions to defend dignity, sovereignty, and the fundamental rights of migrants in the face of coordinated governmental abuses.

🔗 Leé nuestro análisis sobre la responsabilidad estatal en el traslado de personas venezolanas a cárceles salvadoreñas.

Disponible en el siguiente enlace: https://t.co/samWXXdszm pic.twitter.com/gQVqA49eEJ

— Cristosal (@Cristosal) July 22, 2025

The text reads: The actions of [El Salvador] and [the United States] constitute a coordinated form of repression and political use of migrants as bargaining chips.

Both nations must be held accountable and repair the harm caused. Transparency, justice, and international protection for the victims are urgently needed.

Read our analysis on state responsibility in the transfer of Venezuelan people to Salvadoran prisons.

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