Venezuelan men sent by the United States to a prison in El Salvador earlier this year demanded justice Friday, following a U.S. federal judge’s order requiring the Trump administration to provide them legal due process.
The men, gathered in Caracas at a press conference organized by Venezuela’s government, said they hope legal organizations will help present their claims in court. The ruling, issued Monday in Washington, directs the U.S. to either hold court hearings for the 252 men or return them to the country, allowing them to challenge claims that they are members of the Tren de Aragua gang under an 18th-century wartime law.
The migrants alleged they suffered physical and psychological abuse while detained in El Salvador. “We are here to demand justice before the world for human rights violations committed against us and to seek support from international organizations to ensure our rights are respected,” Andry Blanco told reporters.
Some men described ongoing fears stemming from their detention, including reluctance to leave their homes or interact with law enforcement. Not all of them expressed a desire to return to the U.S. “I don’t trust them,” said Nolberto Aguilar about the U.S. government.
The men were flown to El Salvador in March and returned to Venezuela in July under a prisoner exchange between the Trump administration and President Nicolás Maduro’s government. Camilla Fabri, Venezuela’s vice minister of foreign affairs for international communications, said the government is coordinating with U.S. bar associations and human rights organizations to file a major lawsuit against Trump and the U.S. government for alleged crimes committed against the men.