CARACAS, Venezuela — A group of Venezuelan migrants, previously relocated by the United States government earlier this year to a prison facility in El Salvador, publicly sought justice on Friday, responding to a recent federal court ruling in Washington requiring the Trump administration to provide legal due process to them.
Addressing reporters in Venezuela's capital, several detained men expressed their hope that legal advocates would help amplify their claims within the judicial system. The press event was coordinated by Venezuelan authorities, who have indicated that legal representatives have been retained to assist the migrants.
Earlier this week, a federal judge decreed that the United States is obligated to grant due legal process to these 252 Venezuelan men. This involves either facilitating court proceedings or facilitating their return to the U.S. jurisdiction. The decision presents the detainees with an opportunity to contest prior allegations by the Trump administration, which labeled them as affiliates of the Tren de Aragua gang, thereby subjecting them to a removal process grounded in an 18th-century wartime statute.
The men have repeatedly reported enduring physical and psychological mistreatment during their incarceration in the notorious Salvadoran prison. "Our purpose here today is to demand justice on a global scale for the infringements on our human rights endured by each of us," stated Andry Blanco at the Caracas gathering, where about two dozen migrants assembled.
Some individuals detailed ongoing hardships faced following their imprisonment, including persistent fears of leaving home or encountering law enforcement authorities. Although the group did not specify the precise forms of justice sought, some expressed reluctance about the prospect of returning to the United States.
"I don't have confidence in them," remarked Nolberto Aguilar concerning the U.S. government.
The migrants were transported to El Salvador in March and subsequently repatriated to Venezuela in July. This return was part of a prisoner exchange arrangement between the Trump administration and the Venezuelan government, led by President Nicolás Maduro.
Camilla Fabri, Venezuela's vice minister of foreign affairs for international communications, announced that the Maduro administration is collaborating with a U.S. bar association and various human rights groups to initiate a significant lawsuit against the Trump administration and the U.S. government. The intent is to compel acknowledgment of the alleged violations committed against these men.