(NewsNation) — El Salvador’s famed megaprison, Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo, or CECOT, is now housing more than 250 alleged gang members in El Salvador after striking a deal with the Trump administration.
According to The Associated Press, the 238 Tren de Aragua members and 23 MS-13-affiliated individuals will stay in the prison for at least one year.
What is the deal with El Salvador?
The accord is worth $6 million. El Salvador will receive that amount from the Trump administration, a figure widely considered relatively low for what the U.S. will gain from the arrangement.
In a statement accompanying government video of the high-security exchange, Salvidorian President Nayib Bukele said it is a relatively low sum, but not for his nation.
“The United States will pay a very low fee for them but a high one for us,” Bukele said.
“This will help us finalize intelligence gathering and go after the last remnants of MS-13, including its former and new members, money, weapons, drugs, hideouts, collaborators, and sponsors. As always, we continue advancing in the fight against organized crime.”
How big is the CECOT prison?
The megaprison opened in 2023 as Bukele rounded up criminal gang members as part of his campaign, and it can hold up to 40,000 inmates.
It is the largest prison facility in Central America and one of the largest in the world in terms of inmate capacity.
CECOT has giant cells, compared to most prisons, allowing for around 65 to 70 prisoners per cell.
Human Rights entity Cristosal said in March 2024 that 110,000 people were behind bars, per AP, more than double what the Salvadorian government reported in 2021 pre-Bukele’s war on crime.
What facilities do they have at CECOT?
Living up to its fierce reputation, there are few liberties for the prisoners at CECOT.
There is a gym, dining halls, break rooms and board games inside the prison, but they are for guards only.
The facility, in Tecoluca, approximately 45 miles east of San Salvador, does not allow visitors, and the prisoners are never allowed to venture outdoors.
Educational programs are not available, nor are workshops to prepare them for a return to society at the end of their sentences.
Cell signals are also unavailable within a radius of 1 1/2 miles to limit information emanating from CECOT, according to CBS.
Can prisoners leave?
No. Multiple reports say that prisoners who reside at CECOT cannot leave, with some serving centurieslong sentences.
“It is impossible to escape. These psychopaths will spend their whole lives behind these bars,” an anonymous CECOT warden told Connectas.
Lights remain on 24 hours a day, and all inmates have their heads shaved and must sit in line, resting their heads on the back of the person in front of them when entering CECOT.
They are all dressed in white and receive a diet usually of beans and pasta, with meat not an option.
Some human rights groups have criticized CECOT, but several polls have Bukele receiving an approval rating above 90%.