Matt Gaetz Documentary Exposes Inhumane Conditions for Venezuelan Detainees in El Salvador’s CECOT Megaprison
Venezuelan detainees inside CECOT prison. May 13, 2025 Photo: EFE
May 13, 2025 Hour: 9:00 pm
A documentary by ex-U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz reveals harsh treatment of 252 Venezuelan deportees in El Salvador’s CECOT prison, sparking debates over human rights and migrant policies.
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A recent documentary by former U.S. Congressman Matt Gaetz has thrust into the spotlight the dire living conditions at El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), where 252 Venezuelan deportees from the U.S. are detained.
The video, part of Gaetz’s program The Matt Gaetz Show on conservative network One America News (OAN), went viral on social media, showing inmates screaming, “We are kidnapped!” and “We want freedom!” while officials recorded the scene.
The documentary, available on YouTube, has drawn criticism for sensationalizing the plight of detainees—many with no criminal records. It arrives as Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele plans to expand CECOT, already Latin America’s largest prison, housing over 15,000 inmates.
The U.S. government alleges the Venezuelans are linked to the disbanded Tren de Aragua criminal gang. However, Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro regime has repeatedly condemned their deportation as political hostage-taking, calling it part of a “war against the Venezuelan people.”
Human rights advocates warn that many detainees were sent to CECOT without due process or access to legal representation. The footage highlights not only overcrowding and inhumane treatment but also intensifying scrutiny of harsh migrant policies in the region.
Since 2023, over 2,000 Venezuelans have been deported to El Salvador under U.S. anti-gang operations, a move critics argue violates international asylum protocols. The Maduro government has demanded their repatriation, calling CECOT a “violation of human dignity.”
Author: MLM