Several Venezuelans were deported to
El Salvador instead of their home country because
Venezuela refused to accept them.
Eight Venezuelan women were sent to El Salvador after U.S. officials misled them into thinking they were being deported to Venezuela. Similarly,
238 Venezuelan men were transferred to
El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) under the
Alien Enemies Act, despite 178 having no evident gang affiliation.
The
Alien Enemies Act was invoked per the
President’s Proclamation for
Tren de Aragua, a gang originating in
Venezuelan prisons, particularly
Tocorón Prison, that expanded across
South America and the U.S.. They specialize in
human trafficking, extortion, and organized crime, exploiting weak governance to expand their influence.
Unlike Tren de Aragua, other gangs have different origins and structures:
- MS-13: Originated in Los Angeles, California, in the 1980s as a group formed by Salvadoran immigrants seeking protection. It later evolved into a transnational criminal organization with a strict hierarchy, known for extreme violence, drug trafficking, and human smuggling.
- Barrio 18: Also started in Los Angeles but became a rival to MS-13. It is highly fragmented, with independent cliques that sometimes fight each other. They engage in extortion, drug trade, and assassinations but lack the centralized leadership of MS-13.
- Los Satanás: A lesser-known gang operating primarily in El Salvador and Honduras. They are involved in violent crime and drug trafficking, with a reputation for brutality and ritualistic violence.
While all these gangs engage in criminal activities, their structures, origins, and methods differ. Tren de Aragua was born in a prison system and expanded through weak governance, whereas MS-13 and Barrio 18 emerged from immigrant communities in the U.S. before spreading internationally.