El Salvador President Nayib Bukele Offers to Release Entire Prison Population Amid Criticism from Hillary Clinton
Hillary Clinton criticized El Salvador's Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) in a post sharing a PBS Frontline video that highlighted conditions at the maximum-security prison.
In response, El Salvador President Nayib Bukele challenged Clinton by stating on X that the country would release its entire prison population—including gang leaders and those labeled as political prisoners—to any country willing to receive them, on the condition that it must be everyone.
Bukele presented this offer as a method to test or reveal human rights concerns and to give journalists and NGOs a voice regarding the prison system.
CECOT houses migrants deported from the United States, including individuals identified as gang members by U.S. authorities.
Notably, three Venezuelan men featured in the Frontline piece—Juan José Ramos Ramos, Andry Blanco Bonilla, and Wilmer Vega Sandia—were deported to CECOT and are described by the U.S. as members of the Tren de Aragua gang, which they deny.
The U.S. has deported Venezuelan migrants considered gang members to El Salvador after Venezuela refused to repatriate them.
Additionally, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to provide due process to a class of Venezuelan migrants deported to El Salvador in March, requiring the administration to explain its next steps within two weeks.
Bukele has previously aligned with then-President Donald Trump by offering to house certain migrants deported from the U.S. at CECOT.
The article detailing these developments was published on December 23, 2025.
