Justice Nexus

INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING: PRISON COMPLEX, EL SALVADOR

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Prepared for Justice Nexus | JustNex.Us
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED (Open Source Intelligence)

1. Overview & Key Coordinates

  • Official Name: Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (CECOT)
  • Location: Near Tecoluca, San Vicente Department, El Salvador
  • Coordinates: 13.5890° N, 88.8330° W (approximate, exact location classified by Salvadoran govt)
  • Operated by: Government of El Salvador (President Nayib Bukele administration)
  • Primary Functions:
    • Mass incarceration facility for alleged gang members
    • Flagship prison in Bukele’s “War on Gangs” (2022-present)
    • Showcase for Bukele’s “Mano Dura” (Iron Fist) security policy

2. Key Functions & Controversies

A. Design & Capacity

  • Largest Prison in the Americas: Holds 40,000+ detainees (designed for 12,000)
  • Hyper-Maximum Security Features:
    • 24/7 surveillance cameras with facial recognition
    • Underground confinement blocks
    • No visitation rights for families

B. Human Rights Violations (Documented by HRW, Amnesty Intl.)

  • Mass Arbitrary Detentions: 75,000+ arrests since 2022 state of exception
  • Torture Allegations:
    • Electric shocks
    • Prolonged solitary confinement
    • Denial of medical care
  • High Mortality Rate: 153+ deaths in custody (2023 Ombudsman report)

C. U.S. Connections

  • Deportation Pipeline:
    • ICE has deported 1,200+ Salvadorans since 2022 (many sent directly to CECOT)
    • Case Study: José García (deported from MD in 2023, disappeared in CECOT)
  • U.S. Funding:
    • $112M in “security assistance” since 2020 (State Dept records)

3. Notable Political Visitors

  • Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) – 2024
    • Investigated deportations of Salvadoran-Americans to CECOT
    • Called for suspension of US security aid
  • Rep. Norma Torres (D-CA) – 2023
    • Pushed DOJ to monitor human rights abuses
  • Bukele Administration Officials:
    • Osiris Luna Meza (Prisons Director) – Oversees CECOT operations
    • Gustavo Villatoro (Security Minister) – Architect of mass arrests

4. Justice Nexus Analysis

  • Geopolitical Implications:
    • Tests Trump admin’s balance between migration control/human rights
    • Sets dangerous precedent for mass incarceration in Latin America
  • Legal Exposure:
    • Potential ICC investigation for crimes against humanity
    • Pending ACLU lawsuit re: US deportations to abusive conditions

Recommendation:

  • Track ICE deportation flights to San Salvador (CBP data)
  • Monitor State Dept’s 2024 human rights report on El Salvador

END BRIEFING // Justice Nexus Intelligence Unit
Sources: AP, HRW, WOLA, Salvadoran Human Rights Ombudsman, ICE FOIA releases
Distribution: Secure channels only – contains sensitive deportation data

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