President Donald Trump commended El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele for accepting custody of dangerous criminals, emphasizing the nations’ joint efforts against terrorism ahead of their meeting at the White House on Monday.
What Happened: Trump took to Truth Social to express his anticipation of a meeting with Bukele. He praised Bukele for accepting into his nation’s custody “some of the most violent alien enemies of the World and, in particular, the United States.”
Trump labeled the deportees “barbarians” and thanked Bukele, whom he called “President B,” for keeping them in El Salvador’s custody.
He also highlighted the ongoing cooperation between the U.S. and El Salvador in addressing terrorism and crime. Bukele acknowledged Trump’s remarks, noticing the “President B" reference by POTUS.
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Why It Matters: This meeting comes in the wake of a recent incident where a Maryland man, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a legal resident, was mistakenly deported to El Salvador. Garcia is currently detained in El Salvador’s high-security prison due to this “administrative error.”
The Supreme Court backed a lower court ruling for U.S. officials to assist in the return of Garcia. The Trump administration has insisted that the president cannot be compelled to arrange Garcia's return.
Last week, the White House confirmed that Trump was considering legal possibilities for deporting U.S. citizens who had committed “heinous, violent” crimes or had defied the country’s laws. On Sunday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that 10 individuals accused of crime were deported to El Salvador.
According to the Government Accountability Office, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement removed 70 potential U.S. citizens from fiscal year 2015 through the second quarter of fiscal year 2020
Earlier in February, Bukele said he was prepared to incarcerate convicted criminals from the U.S. in his country. According to Amnesty International, El Salvador’s prison system is known for rampant human rights violations, violence, and overcrowding.
El Salvador has doubled down on Bitcoin BTC/USD ever since adopting the world's largest digital currency as legal tender in 2021. As of this writing, the nation holds 6,146.18 BTCs in its treasury, worth more than $523 million at current market prices.
Image via Shutterstock
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