The maximum security facility in Tecoluca, designed to house 40,000 prisoners.
The government of El Salvador released a series of photographs showing the conditions of the country’s recently built mega-prison. Located in Tecoluca, the Center for the Confinement of Terrorism (CECOT) is a maximum security facility designed to detain the most dangerous and high-ranking individuals associated with gangs such as MS-13 and Barrio 18. Surprisingly, once inmates enter on this installation, they were never launched.
The footage, watched by vigilant masked guards, shows shirtless and heavily tattooed prisoners being led into cramped cells. The cells are lit by strong artificial lighting, creating an atmosphere of constant fear and potential violence. The size of the facility is impressive, capable of housing approximately 40,000 prisoners – a number equivalent to two fully packed Madison Square Gardens.
Under the administration of President Nayib Bukele, there has been an aggressive stance against drug trafficking gangs, resulting in a significant crackdown that has led to the arrest of more than 70,000 individuals in just 20 months. This tough approach underscores the government’s determination to eliminate crime from the streets, despite international concerns regarding human rights violations and conditions inside these detention centers.
In one remarkable photograph, prisoners are crammed into a transport bus, their heads shaved and their hands tied behind their backs. Another moving image shows rows of prisoners crouched in a row, their heads bowed forward, under the watchful eyes of armed guards. These images vividly portray the dehumanizing environment within CECOT, where individuals face overcrowded conditions, rigorous surveillance, and the constant threat of violence.
The release of these images by the Salvadoran government draws attention to the ongoing debate between security measures and humanitarian considerations in the country’s criminal justice system. As discussions continue about the effectiveness and ethical implications of such harsh penal policies, these photographs serve as a powerful reminder of the human cost within El Salvador’s most formidable prison walls.
This story originally appeared on Ndtv.com read the full story
