El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele has proposed to imprison convicted criminals from the United States in his country, an initiative described as unprecedented. The proposal was made during a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at Bukele's residence near San Salvador on February 4, 2025.
Bukele stated that El Salvador is prepared to accept American convicts for a fee, utilizing a prison that was inaugurated a year ago and is recognized as the largest in Latin America. He emphasized that this arrangement would provide a sustainable solution for the country's prison system.
Rubio praised the offer, calling it an extraordinary migratory agreement. He noted that Bukele's proposal includes housing dangerous American criminals, as well as accepting Salvadoran citizens and foreign nationals. The focus appears to be on gang members, particularly from Latin American gangs such as MS-13 and Tren de Aragua.
The US State Department has previously described El Salvador's prisons as overcrowded and harsh, with inadequate provisions for sanitation and safety. Despite this, Bukele's administration has gained support for its tough stance on crime, having arrested over 80,000 individuals since he took office in 2019, significantly reducing homicide rates.
While Bukele's policies have attracted criticism from human rights organizations for alleged abuses, they have also contributed to his popularity among the public, who appreciate the decline in violence.