Last week, 252 Venezuelans, including Mervin Yamarte from Maracaibo, were released from El Salvador’s Center for the Confinement of Terrorism (Cecot) and returned to Venezuela.
They were deported from the US under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, accused of ties to the Tren de Aragua gang, allegations they deny.
Yamarte, Edwuar Hernández Herrera, Andy Perozo, and Ringo Rincón, arrested in Texas for alleged immigration violations, said their tattoos led to mistaken gang affiliations.
At Cecot, they faced beatings, were forced to eat with their hands on the floor, and endured overcrowded conditions.
Carlos Uzcátegui, another returnee, displayed bruises from alleged physical abuse during his four-month detention.
The release, part of a US-Venezuela-El Salvador prisoner swap, sparked emotional homecomings across Venezuela.
In Maracaibo’s Los Pescadores, families greeted the men with motorbikes, music, and decorations in Venezuelan flag colors after a 15-hour bus ride from Caracas.
In Lobatera, Gabriela Mora wept as she embraced Uzcátegui, who had sought work in the US to support his family.
Despite the joy, the men carried memories of their ordeal, with some planning to file complaints about their treatment.
Venezuela’s Attorney-General Tarek William Saab launched an investigation into alleged “systemic torture” at Cecot, targeting El Salvador’s leadership, including President Nayib Bukele.
Bukele, denying the allegations, highlighted the prisoner exchange’s mutual agreement, which freed US nationals held in Venezuela.
Human rights groups have criticized Cecot’s harsh conditions, though Salvadoran officials claim compliance with international standards.
The returnees, now undergoing medical and background checks, seek justice for their experiences in the controversial facility.