Relatives of Venezuelan immigrants deported from the United States to the maximum-security prison, inaugurated two years ago by President Nayib Bukele in El Salvador, began to protest in Venezuela, asking their country’s authorities to intervene to seek justice, as their loved ones are not criminals from the criminal organization known as the Tren de Aragua, as claimed by the government of President Donald Trump.
The Trump administration ordered the transfer of 238 immigrants to the Bukele prison, claiming that the majority of them are from the Tren de Aragua gang, and many others are from the MS-13 gang.
However, from Maracaibo, Zulia state in Venezuela, relatives of four of the deported Venezuelans denied on Monday, amidst a protest, that they are members of any criminal organization. They said that they found out about their detention through videos from Telemundo.
“We saw a video of one of the boys who left with my brother, they are all from the neighborhood, they went out together in search of work to help their families. We are devastated, we ask for their release, because they are not criminals, they are innocent, they are family men,” said Anyeli Paz, sister of Andy Javier Perozo, one of the Venezuelans deported to El Salvador, to the media outlet Es Con Usted."
The woman’s words were during the protest in the Los Pescadores sector of Maracaibo, where she couldn’t hold back the tears, knowing that her brother is in El Salvador.
Venezuelans voluntarily surrendered and were taken to Bukele’s jail
Anyeli Paz recounted that her brother and his friends voluntarily turned themselves in to be deported to Venezuela, but instead they were treated as criminals and taken to Bukele’s terrorist prison.
“Andy went in search of a house and he couldn’t even get the house, because they made a mistake by surrendering and have nothing to do with criminals, they are healthy boys... We ask for justice for him and for all Venezuelans who are there.”
A friend who was with her pointed out: “They must apprehend the real criminals, these are hardworking young men, family men, who went in search of the American dream, which turned into a nightmare."
They were not only asking for Andy’s release, but also for his friends Ringo Enrique Rincón, Mervin Yamarte, and Edward Fernández.
“What happened was that my brother and these guys went north a year and a half ago looking for a better future for their children and their family, since there are no jobs here. Supposedly they were going to bring them back to Venezuela, but they were taken to El Salvador. I have seen how arbitrarily they are taken off the plane. The call is to President Nicolás Maduro and the Minister of Justice, so they can take action on the matter,” said Nerio Rincón, brother of Ringo Enrique Rincón, to the mentioned media outlet.
Scarlet Yamarte added: “They are hardworking young men, we want them back, they are all from the sector, they are not criminals. They have been in the United States for almost two years, seeking a better quality of life.”