Once expelled from the United States, Venezuelans were transferred to Cecot in El Salvador, enduring severe hardships such as handcuffs and isolation. Conditions included marked physical abuse, with detainees like Angel Bolivar Cruz recounting brutal beatings and psychological torture during their stay. The facility, meant for gang members and terrorists, became a dark prison for these individuals, leaving them scarred and traumatized. A state of emergency declared in March 2022 led to mass incarcerations, with 2% of the adult population imprisoned.
The 252 Venezuelans are among the few people who have been able to tell their story, although when they arrived at Cecot they were told they would never leave.
Subdued and cowering. That's how the entire world saw them in the videos released by the Salvadoran government. And that's how they remained for much of their stay at Cecot.
During one of the worst 131 days of his life, 26-year-old Angel Bolivar Cruz was dragged out of his cell on his knees.
They took him to the pit, kicked him in the chest, and stepped on his handcuffed hands. It left a mark on his wrist.
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