Venezuela Criticizes U.S. Deportation of Alleged Gang Members to El Salvador

The U.S. began deporting over 200 alleged Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador using a wartime law, which Venezuela decried as a human rights violation. El Salvador President Bukele confirmed receipt and detention of 238 gang members. The U.S. will pay El Salvador $6 million for the arrangement.

In a move that has sparked international controversy, Venezuela's government sharply criticized the United States for deporting over 200 alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua to El Salvador. The action was facilitated by a rarely invoked wartime law, which Venezuela condemned as a violation of human rights and an anachronistic measure.

El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele confirmed that his country received 238 alleged gang members and has detained them in a terrorism center for at least one year, a timeline that could be extended. Alongside, El Salvador received 23 members of the Salvadoran gang MS-13. These deportations are aligned with a $6 million financial arrangement between the U.S. and El Salvador, as reported by the Associated Press based on leaked government documents.

Venezuela called on the international community and organizations like the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) to oppose what it perceives as a dangerous precedent for regional security and legal norms. The situation remains volatile, with calls for further international scrutiny and diplomatic intervention.

(With inputs from agencies.)