Panel: Between Maduro and Bukele — Abuses Against Venezuelan Migrants in CECOT

We are pleased to invite you to a panel in the University of Miami to discuss the findings of a new joint report by Human Rights Watch and the Central American human rights group Cristosal. 

In March and April 2025, the US government removed over 250 Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador, where they were transferred to the Center for Confinement of Terrorism (CECOT). Based on over 200 interviews, forensic analysis, and open-source research, the report provides a comprehensive account on the treatment of these people during their detention in the notorious mega prison. 

This conversation comes at a critical time. As governments across the Americas tighten migration policies, hundreds of Venezuelans fleeing persecution and hardship were caught in a dangerous web — deported from the U.S. and imprisoned in El Salvador’s notorious CECOT mega-prison. Their stories reveal a broader erosion of international protection for people seeking safety. 

Speakers:

• Juan Pappier, Americas Deputy Director, Human Rights Watch

• Adelys Ferro, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Venezuelan-American Caucus

• José Miguel Cruz, Board Member, Cristosal; expert on gang violence in El Salvador