President Trump expressed openness to El Salvador's President Bukele's controversial proposal to imprison convicted American criminals in a massive prison, raising legal and ethical concerns. Experts doubt Trump's legal authority to proceed and warn of potential court challenges. Bukele's approach reflects his authoritarian governance style, sharply criticized for undermining civil liberties and engaging in mass incarceration strategies. Furthermore, the discussion has garnered praise from prominent figures like Marco Rubio and Elon Musk, highlighting a controversial alliance and calling into question the constitutional implications behind such a drastic proposal.
Mr. Bukele's proposal to essentially turn El Salvador into a penal colony for the United States showed how far he is willing to go to define himself as Mr. Trump's primary ally in a region that the American president has disparaged.
It's quite extraordinary and unprecedented and alarming in many ways, said Michael E. Shifter, a senior fellow at the Inter-American Dialogue research institute in Washington.
I know a lot of experts have raised questions about the constitutionality and legality of this deal, but Bukele is a leader who has absolute power in El Salvador and it seems Trump seems to be moving in a similar direction in trying to reduce or eliminate any checks on his power.
Despite questions over its legality, the proposal prompted praise from Marco Rubio, Mr. Trump's secretary of state, as well as Elon Musk, the billionaire and powerful Trump adviser who has set about remaking the government.
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