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In El Salvador, the ‘worst prison on Earth’ could potentially be seeing US citizens as inmates.
That comes as Donald Trump has plans to transfer foreign citizens who had been convicted in the states there. Built to house up to 40,000, the mega-prison is described as a ‘concrete and steel pit’ where ‘no inmates ever leave’ and there is an explanation why.
The place is referred to as CECOT, meaning the Centre for the Confinement of Terrorism, and it has long-faced objections from human rights groups.
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Not long after being sworn back into office, the Trump administration announced a deal with El Salvador that means the prison will also take criminals who were US citizens or legal residents.
However, a US government official has since said there aren’t plans currently to do this.
There are particularly strict rules in place at the notorious prison, with inmates having their heads shaved every five days.
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In what are described as ‘inhumane’ conditions, over 100 of them are kept in a room containing two toilets, two sinks and 80 bunks to sleep in – with no mattresses.
While there is no death penalty in El Salvador, there is said to be no intention that the men inside will ever be released.
Gustavo Villatoro, El Salvador's public security minister, laid out the government’s approach to gang members.
"We believe in rehab, but just for common criminals," he told CNN, differentiating between so-called gang ‘collaborators’ and gang members.
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"Someone who every day killed people, every day raped our girls, how can you change their minds? We are not stupid," he continued.
"In the US, imagine a serial killer in your state, in your community being released by a judge ... how would you feel as a citizen?
“We don't have facts that someone can change a mind from a serial killer ... and we have more than 40,000 serial killers in El Salvador - the members of these gang organizations.”
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And while they may be never released, it’s also particularly tough for them to get out by escaping. That’s because CECOT is considered to be one of the highest security prisons in the world and very difficult to escape from.
The inmates spend 23.5 hours a day inside the cells, not working, not allowed books or cards or letters from home and with just a 30-minute daily respite for group exercise or Bible readings.
Topics: Donald Trump, Prison, US News, World News
Jess Battison