Even El Salvador's president questioned Trump team on if migrants being sent were actually gang members: report

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Hill

Wednesday 30 April 2025 15:38 EDT


El Salvador President Nayib Bukele asked the Trump administration for evidence that the 238 Venezuelans deported to his country’s maximum-security prison last month were actually part of a notorious gang, according to a report.

While Bukele and President Donald Trump appeared to be on the same page at last month’s meeting in the Oval Office, Bukele privately “expressed concern” about who the Trump administration sent to El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center, known as CECOT, according to The New York Times.

Bukele’s concern sparked a “scramble” among U.S. officials to get him evidence that the migrants belonged to the transnational Tren de Aragua gang, The Times reported. His request for evidence reportedly materialized after the deportation flights from the U.S. had already taken off for his country, according to The Times, which reports new details about the negotiations between Bukele and Trump.

Few of the deportees had documented public links to Tren de Aragua and U.S. officials created a scorecard system for each alleged gang member to present to Bukele and his team, which included criteria such as their tattoos as evidence.

Read more: https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/bukele-trump-el-salvador-migrants-deal-b2742597.html

[nycbos]

1. Bukele is a complete and total two bit despot...

… however he seems smart enough to realize that if he continues down this road with Trump, he will turn El Salvador into an international pariah and it won't end too well for him.

[róisín_dubh]

2. No, because unlike the US, El Salvador...

is party to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.
And they tend not to fuck around.

[Irish_Dem]

3. Is that why Bukele even asked the question?

I cannot figure why he even cares.
He makes money on the prisoners no matter who they are.

[róisín_dubh]

4. I dunno actually.

But, history hasn't really been kind to Latin American dictators.
Or most dictators of recent years, to be honest.
The Inter-American Court of Human Rights is quite a robust one and they are not going to let this go, so long as victims file suits and those suits are ignored at the lower court levels. It takes awhile for cases to make their way up that high, but they'll get there.

[Irish_Dem]

13. Very interesting, thanks.

What power does this court have over those found guilty?

[Eugene]

7. There are lines that even Bukele is reluctant to cross, like when the US tried to send 8 *women* to CECOT.

El Salvador sent them back.

[Irish_Dem]

14. Bukele has more scruples than Trump?

Or more afraid of committing human right violations?

[Eugene]

16. or Dump isn't paying enough to risk a trip to The Hague

[Irish_Dem]

17. He knows Trump is never loyal and won't help him if he gets into trouble.

[dreamland]

5. Why would El Salvador agree to this

I don't see why El Salvador would agree to feed, house and guard this "illegals" for the return of a few criminals. That's a lot of resources they are using that we are not. Would they have a limited holding time? Will these people ever be released? Or killed? What do they plan to do with so many people and with more getting arrested each day?

[BumRushDaShow]

6. Because we are PAYING THEM to take them.

Sen. Van Hollen Says Trump Administration Made $15 Million Deal With El Salvador To Imprison Deportees Including Abrego Garcia

Antonio Pequeño IV
Forbes Staff
Pequeño is a breaking news reporter who covers tech and more.

Apr 18, 2025, 06:30pm EDT


Topline Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., said in a press conference Friday the Trump administration has promised to pay El Salvador $15 million to detain deportees including Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland resident erroneously deported last month by the Trump administration.

Key Facts

Van Hollen, who took a high-profile trip to El Salvador Thursday to see Abrego Garcia in person, said the Trump administration has paid El Salvador $4 million of the $15 million as of Friday, adding he was “aware that there was some document that memorialized the payments.”

The senator emphasized that he has not directly seen the agreement between the White House and El Salvador, adding he was not sure what the details of the agreement were.

The Associated Press reported last month, around the same time as multiple deportation flights were made from the U.S. to El Salvador, that the government would pay El Salvador $6 million to imprison for a year around 300 alleged members of the Tren de Aragua gang, noting a State Department document that suggested the Trump administration could put aside a total of $15 million to house more deportees.

(snip)

[dreamland]

10. It's always about money

[BumRushDaShow]

11. It always is.

[Irish_Dem]

15. Trump aways gets a cut of the action.

So he will be pocketing some of this money.

[republianmushroom]

8. Hush your mouth, little dude,

of course they, are didn't we, the law and order party, say so. You can trust use.

[stopdiggin]

9. Ahem. Just to be real clear - this 'expressed interest' probably doesm't have the slightest basis

in concern for 'due process' or judicial consideration - and a great deal more in strictly administrative process and function. In other words - record keeping - which most (functional) organizations recognize as a desirable end.

[EarthFirst]

12. The concern soon parted as piles of cash and/or cryptocurrency were delivered...

How soon those worries might be quelled when millions hang in the balance.