The original content of Democracy Now! Headlines appears under the Creative
Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 License (United States). For more, including their other
shows and media, visit www.democracynow.org.
February 27, 2023

El Salvador's Pres. Nayib Bukele Touts "Megaprison" with Shocking Images of Shackled Detainees
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In El Salvador, human rights advocates are condemning the transfer of
some 2,000 suspected gang members to a newly opened megaprison as part
of an ongoing crackdown by President Nayib Bukele. Over the weekend,
Bukele shared images of prisoners wearing nothing but white shorts being
rushed into the prison, then sitting in rows with their heads down. The
so-called terrorism confinement center has a capacity of 40,000 and is
now considered to be the largest prison in the Americas. Bukele's
government has been enforcing a state of exception since last March,
suspending several constitutional protections and leading to the
arbitrary arrest of an estimated 64,000 people - many without any ties
to gangs or access to due process. Human rights groups say at least 80
people have died in police custody.


.