Deported inmates demanded freedom while Matt Gaetz and a bipartisan delegation visited the CECOT prison in El Salvador. Photo: AFP.
The Venezuelans held in CECOT shouted at the bipartisan U.S. Congressional delegation: “Freedom, freedom, we want freedom! We have been abducted.”
The first videos of Venezuelan migrants held captive at the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) in El Salvador have emerged on social media. It is the first footage of them to appear since March 17 this year, following their expulsion by the Donald Trump administration. The captives have had their fundamental rights violated by the denial of legal defense and due process.
According to information published by Iguana TV, referring to the X account of journalist Madelein García, the Venezuelans who have been held captive for almost two months and stigmatized as criminals shouted: “Freedom, freedom, we want freedom! We have been abducted,” during a visit by a bipartisan delegation from the US Congress.
#URGENTE| primeras imágenes de los migrantes venezolanos en la cárcel del CECOT en El Salvador gritan a las autoridades estadounidenses, una delegación bipartidista del congreso que visita el centro “libertad libertad, queremos libertad estamos secuestrados”, se escucha decir a… pic.twitter.com/E2BILiqYv3
— Madelein Garcia (@madeleintlSUR) May 13, 2025
In addition, it can be seen in the video that several of the Venezuelan migrants are simultaneously making a hand gesture calling for help, which consists of holding up their palms while opening and closing their fingers over their thumbs.
García reports that at that precise moment, politician Matt Gaetz, who until last year was a member of the United States House of Representatives and a staunch defender of President Donald Trump’s anti-immigrant policies, was at the detention center.
The journalist added that “some mothers have been able to identify their children. They already have hair, they’re in a separate cell block from the Mara gang members, but in the same place, stigmatized as criminals.”
Venezuelans Kidnapped in El Salvador: 87% Without Criminal Records
It may be noted that this isn’t Gaetz’s first time visiting CECOT and that he was a candidate to head the Department of Justice during Donald Trump’s second term.
Confirmation of Gaetz’s repeated visits to the CECOT is evidenced by an April 25th article on the Independent website titled: “Matt Gaetz visited El Salvador’s mega-prison and saw people drained of hope. He then pitched it to Stephen Miller.” The report highlights that Gaetz presented the idea of sending migrants to CECOT to Trump’s deputy chief of staff.
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JB/SH
