The massive building is at the center of El Salvador’s self-proclaimed administration of the war on crime.
Tens of thousands of suspected gang members were detained across the country after state of emergency declared due to the increase in the number of murders and other violent crimes.
A prison called the Terrorist Detention Center. It will be able to accommodate over 40,000 people.
The footage shows how the first mass group of prisoners, tattooed and barefoot, is herded into the facility.
The prisoners remain seated on the floor with their hands behind their backs. shaved head, stacked close together, before being taken to their cells.
The complex, built in the countryside near Tecoluca, about 74 km southeast of the capital of San Salvador, will be guarded by more than 600 military personnel and 250 employees of the National Civil Police.according to the government.
President Bukele tweeted. the first 2,000 men were airlifted “at dawn in one operation” to the center, which is said to be America’s largest prison.
“This will be their new home, where they will live for decades, all together, without being able to cause more harm to the population,” he said.
Megaprison consists of eight buildings. Each has 32 cells of about 100 square meters (1,075 square feet), each holding “more than 100” prisoners, the government said.
Cells have only two sinks and two toilets each.
President Bukele declared “war on the gangs” last March, endorsing emergency measures that have been extended several times.
The emergency measures have been controversial because they restrict some constitutional rights.
For example, they allow security forces to arrest suspects. without a court order.
More than 64,000 suspects have been arrested as part of the anti-crime campaign.
Human rights organizations claim that innocent people they saw each other in a trap for this policy.
But Bukele’s anti-gang measures remain popular among Salvadorans.
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Source: La Opinion
Alfred Hart is an accomplished journalist known for his expert analysis and commentary on global affairs. He currently works as a writer at 24 news breaker, where he provides readers with in-depth coverage of the most pressing issues affecting the world today. With a keen insight and a deep understanding of international politics and economics, Alfred’s writing is a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the world we live in.