In an exclusive interview, Venezuelan President Maduro asserts that El Salvador’s president Nayib Bukele played no part in talks over the return of detained Venezuelan migrants, emphasizing direct negotiations with the US and the crucial role of international solidarity and Venezuelan diplomacy.

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President Maduro Advocates Dialogue and Respect in US-Venezuela Relations, Rejects Interventionism

Caracas, July 24, 2025 – Venezuelan President Maduro firmly rejected any involvement of El Salvador’s president Nayib Bukele in the negotiations for the return of Venezuelan migrants detained abroad.

In a detailed interview with teleSUR, Presidente Maduro clarified that the Venezuelan government negotiated directly with the United States, dismissing Bukele as a participant in these talks.

President Maduro used strong terms to emphasize that the real negotiation was with the US government , “the owner of the circus” , not with any “Nazi clown” governing El Salvador, underscoring the gravity of El Salvador’s abuses against detained Venezuelans.

Presidente Maduro recounted harrowing testimonies from Venezuelans detained and mistreated in El Salvador’s infamous CECOT prison, rechristening it the “Nayib Bukele Concentration and Torture Extermination Camp.”

He denounced acts of humiliation, physical abuse, torture, tear gas, and sexual violence perpetrated against detainees, revealing the cruelty directed by Bukele’s administration. The Venezuelan leader called for justice and accountability for those responsible, vowing that Venezuelan authorities would continue supporting victims’ families in their legal battle.

The president detailed how the safe return of 252 Venezuelans was secured through the tireless efforts of Venezuelan diplomacy coupled with a broad alliance of international solidarity.

#ENVIDEO📹 | Presidente Nicolás Maduro denunció el maltrato y las condiciones bajo las que fueron tratados los 252 migrantes venezolanos secuestrados en el CECOT, de El Salvador. pic.twitter.com/ZDUEQ1XsPw

— teleSUR TV (@teleSURtv) July 25, 2025

The text reads: LIVE | President Nicolás Maduro denounced the mistreatment and conditions under which the 252 Venezuelan migrants kidnapped in El Salvador’s CECOT were treated.

He highlighted the essential support of leftist political movements in El Salvador, judicial actors, and religious leaders like Cardinal Gregorio Chavez. The President described the collective push for justice as a powerful movement of public opinion that pressured all involved parties to ensure repatriation.

Far-right’s role in the crisis and responsibility for suffering

Presidente Maduro condemned the far-right opposition, including figures like Maria Corina Machado, Julio Borges, and Leopoldo Lopez ,for orchestrating campaigns that stigmatized migrants and supported their persecution abroad.

He accused them of promoting false narratives such as the “Aragua train,” which fueled punitive measures including the deportations and detentions in El Salvador. President Maduro emphasized that this faction applauded the cruel treatment of Venezuelan youth abroad and now remains silent, exposed by their cowardice and moral bankruptcy.

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