Mervin Jose Yamarte Fernandez believed he had arrived in Venezuela when he regarded out the window of his deportation airplane. After he learn an indication that mentioned “San Salvador,” he heard screams.
“We held onto the seats, we did not wish to let move,” he instructed ABC Information in Spanish.
Yamarte Fernandez, who used to be one in all greater than 250 Venezuelan migrants deported from the U.S. to El Salvador’s infamous CECOT jail in March, is one in all 3 Venezuelans who recounted what they are saying used to be their enjoy at CECOT to ABC Information.
The Trump management invoked the Alien Enemies Act — an 18th century wartime authority used to take away noncitizens with little-to-no due procedure — to deport alleged gang individuals through arguing that the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua is a “hybrid legal state” this is invading the US.
The Venezuelans had been due to this fact launched to their house nation in a prisoner change closing week.
Yamarte Fernandez and his two countrymen, chatting with ABC Information from Venezuela, allege that they had been overwhelmed and denied get admission to to attorneys whilst detained at CECOT. They deny being individuals of Tren de Aragua.
The alleged beatings started as quickly because the Venezuelans arrived in El Salvador, Yamarte Fernandez mentioned. The lads, who had been in handcuffs and chains, had been instantly got rid of from the airplane and brought to CECOT, the place they are saying they had been kicked, overwhelmed and shaved.
Salvadoran law enforcement officials escort alleged individuals of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua lately deported through the U.S. govt to be imprisoned within the Terrorism Confinement Middle jail, in San Luis Talpa, El Salvador, bought Mar. 16, 2025.
Secretaria de Prensa de los angeles Presidencia by the use of Reuters
“You’ll see actual hell,” Yamarte Fernandez mentioned a CECOT officer instructed him.
The Venezuelan instructed ABC Information that they had been pressured to modify garments in entrance of CECOT officials who persevered to overcome them.
“They would not allow us to dress,” Yamarte Fernandez mentioned. “In the event you attempted to position at the boxers, they might hit you with a stick on your personal portions. In the event you screamed, they might inform you to close up.”
“We had bruises everywhere,” he mentioned. “We did not know what to do.”
Yamarte Fernandez mentioned he used to be first of all positioned in a mobile with 10 other people however later transferred to a mobile with about 80 males.
“We had been all cramped in combination, bumping into each and every different,” he mentioned.
In a similar way, Francisco Garcia Casique instructed ABC Information that he skilled bodily and mental abuse on the jail. He mentioned CECOT officials instructed the lads they’d by no means depart the jail and that “no longer even the pope or [Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro] may just rescue them.”
Now and then, Garcia Casique mentioned, he and the opposite males could not drink water as a result of their our bodies had “taken this type of beating.” He denies allegations of being a member of Tren de Aragua and mentioned he does not know why he used to be despatched to CECOT.
“They connected me to a gang, however they by no means confirmed me any crimes that proved I used to be a legal, you already know?” Garcia Casique mentioned. “I by no means concept I might finally end up in a terrorist jail.”
He instructed ABC Information he labored as a barber within the U.S. and had desires of supporting his circle of relatives in Venezuela.
Ysqueibel Penaloza instructed ABC Information he believes the U.S. abducted him when he used to be despatched to CECOT and averted him from making telephone calls or seeing a pass judgement on.
“It used to be hit after hit. Such a lot abuse, each bodily and mental,” he mentioned. “They reduce our hair once we arrived on the middle, they totally humiliated us through making us strip in entrance of many of us to modify.”
Penaloza mentioned that after there have been guests, CECOT officials would quickly give them mattresses, pillows and provides them higher meals.
Remaining Monday, Penaloza and Yamarte Fernandez mentioned jail officials started to ship medical doctors and nutritionists to test at the Venezuelan males. They are saying they got cleaning soap, shampoo and toothpaste, and had their hair reduce for the primary time since they arrived.
On July 18, the lads say they had been supplied garments and had been instructed through jail officials they had been leaving.
“We sang and screamed and we thanked God,” mentioned Yamarte Fernandez.
In a commentary to ABC Information, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin mentioned the company despatched the lads to CECOT “the place they not pose a risk to the American other people.”
“Tren de Aragua and MS-13 are one of the most maximum violent and ruthless terrorist gangs on planet earth,” mentioned McLaughlin. “They rape, maim, and homicide for recreation. President Trump and Secretary Noem is not going to permit legal gangs to terrorize Americans.”
DHS did not remark at the allegations of abuse.
Penaloza and Garcia Casique instructed ABC Information that they’d by no means go back to the U.S.
“They handled me like a legal, like a terrorist, they tarnished my symbol,” Garcia Casique mentioned. “They mocked me. I wish to be right here with my circle of relatives in my place of birth.”
Yamarte Fernandez instructed ABC Information he would go back to the U.S. — however no longer beneath the Trump management.
“I’ve such a lot of desires and such a lot of issues I left at the back of,” he mentioned. “I’m the person who looks after my circle of relatives. And the [U.S.] lets you have the whole lot.”
