Juan Carlos

The Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) is the largest prison in the Western Hemisphere. It houses members of El Salvador’s three main gangs, Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13), Barrio 18 Revolucionarios and Barrio 18 Sureños. Built in a record-breaking 6 months, this maximum-security prison can hold up to 40,000 inmates, part of the “war on gangs” launched by President Nayib Bukele, who has been praised for ending gang violence and bringing security to his country. The prison has been at the center of a media storm since the Trump administration deported more than 200 Venezuelan citizens accused of being part of the Tren De Aragua criminal organization this spring. This is a rare glimpse into the institution.
Since March 2022, when the country’s gangs launched a three-day murder spree, El Salvador has incarcerated about 2% of its population under an ongoing “State of Exception.” President Bukele has been widely criticized for the suspension of civil liberties that accompanied the crackdown and reports of related abuses. But he has also been credited with a reduction in violence and making people feel safer.