U.S. Funds El Salvador to Imprison Venezuelan Gang Members

The U.S. plans to pay El Salvador $6 million to hold 300 Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang members deported for one year, as reported by the Associated Press. This action has faced opposition from human rights groups concerned about El Salvador's treatment of prisoners.

The United States has agreed to pay El Salvador $6 million to detain 300 alleged members of the Tren de Aragua gang, deported from the U.S., for one year. This arrangement was revealed by the Associated Press, referring to an internal memo.

According to the memo from El Salvador's Foreign Ministry, El Salvador will house these individuals for one year, awaiting further decisions from the U.S. on their future. Meanwhile, El Salvador's presidential office claims to only be aware of publicly available information. Neither the White House nor Venezuela's Information Ministry has commented.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated last month that the U.S. government had opted to send 'dangerous criminals' to El Salvador. Human rights groups have raised objections, citing El Salvador's troubled history with prison conditions. The move also aligns with the Trump administration's mass deportation policies, including agreements involving third countries. Tren de Aragua, blamed for rising crime rates, has been labeled a global terrorist organization by Washington, potentially affecting migrants' legal standings.

(With inputs from agencies.)