World

El Salvador proposes sending US deportees to Venezuela

By AAP Newswire

Apr 21, 2025

Deportees from the US alleged to be Venezuelan gang members — Hundreds of deportees alleged to be Venezuelan gang members are being held in a Salvadorian prison. -AP

El Salvador's president has proposed a deal to send hundreds of Venezuelans deported from the US and imprisoned in his country to Venezuela, in exchange for taking "political prisoners" being held in Venezuela.

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In a post on X on Sunday, President Nayib Bukele asked that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro hand over 252 "of the thousands of the political prisoners you are holding", under his proposed deal.

The Salvadoran leader did not say whether the prisoners would be incarcerated again upon the exchange.

Venezuela's Ministry of Communication did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Among those Bukele proposed for release from Venezuela are journalist Roland Carreno, human rights lawyer Rocio San Miguel and Corina Parisca de Machado, mother of Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.

He also mentioned nearly 50 detainees of other nationalities including US, German and French citizens, as part of the proposed exchange.

In March, the administration of President Donald Trump deported at least 200 Venezuelans from the United States to El Salvador, accusing them of being members of the Tren de Aragua criminal gang.

The US is paying El Salvador $US6 million ($A9.4 million) to detain the migrants.

By AAP Newswire

Australian Associated Press