Gang Members Filling El Salvador’s New Mega Prison
With faces covered in tattoos and dressed in white shirts and shorts, gang members who were apprehended during El Salvador’s state of exception are now finding themselves in the country’s brand-new mega prison. This massive prison, located 45 miles southeast of the capital, was introduced this year and currently houses about 12,000 accused or convicted gang members, which is only a quarter of its enormous 40,000-person capacity.
Inside this prison, there are no visits, no programs to prepare inmates for reintegration into society, and no workshops or educational activities. The only exceptions are occasional motivational talks from prisoners who have gained some trust from the authorities. Prisoners sit in rows outside their cells for these talks or follow exercise routines supervised by guards. They are never allowed to leave.
This mega-prison was ordered by President Nayib Bukele as a response to the escalating gang violence in El Salvador, which led to massive arrests last year. Over 72,000 people have been arrested on suspicion of being gang members or affiliated with them since then. Human rights organizations have criticized these arrests, stating that thousands have been detained without due process, and dozens have died in prisons.
When President Bukele unveiled the Terrorism Confinement Center in February, he proudly claimed on Twitter that El Salvador had gone from being the world’s most dangerous country to the safest in the Americas by putting criminals behind bars. His justice minister even declared that those imprisoned there would never return to their communities.
Critics, including human rights groups, have raised concerns about the prison’s immense size and the absence of rehabilitation programs.
Bukele’s security policies have gained immense popularity among Salvadorans, as many neighborhoods have finally experienced relief from gang control.
Journalists touring one of the prison’s eight pavilions noted that some prisoners acknowledged them with a nod or a wave, but they were not permitted to speak with them. Each cell holds 65 to 70 prisoners, with steel walkways above for guards to monitor them. The prison does have amenities like dining halls, break rooms, a gym, and board games, but these are exclusively for the guards.
“We’re watching here all day, there’s no way to escape, from here you don’t get out,” said a guard whose face was concealed.
The only prisoner allowed to speak with journalists was Melvin Alexander Alvarado, a 34-year-old member of the Barrio 18 Sureño gang serving a 15-year sentence for extortion. He expressed hope for a job opportunity and a fresh start when he’s released, with plans to discourage young people from joining a gang.
“I lost everything here, I lost my family, everything,” he lamented.