El Salvador returns over 200 detained Venezuelans in prisoner swap, 10 Americans freed from Venezuela

El Salvador returns over 200 detained Venezuelans in prisoner swap, 10 Americans freed from Venezuela

El Salvador has completed a prisoner exchange with Venezuela, returning over 200 detained Venezuelans in exchange for the release of 10 Americans held in Venezuela. The swap, facilitated by the governments of El Salvador, the United States, and Venezuela, saw the repatriation of 252 Venezuelans who were deported from the United States to El Salvador earlier this year [1].

The released Americans include a former Navy SEAL, Wilbert Joseph Castaneda, who was detained in Venezuela last year while on personal travel. His family expressed relief and gratitude for his release [3]. The U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, confirmed the release of the 10 Americans, crediting President Trump's leadership for the successful swap [3].

The Venezuelans were held in El Salvador's notorious CECOT maximum security prison after being deported from the United States under the rarely used Alien Enemies Act. The Trump administration had labeled the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua an invading force, using that designation to expedite their removals [1]. The families of the deported Venezuelans deny the gang ties allegations and argue that due process was not followed [1].

In addition to the Venezuelans, the exchange also saw the release of several political prisoners in Venezuela. The Venezuelan government has long condemned the detention of its citizens as a violation of human rights and international law, but critics argue that the country holds activists and opposition figures in similar conditions [1].

The prisoner swap comes amid ongoing tensions between the United States and Venezuela, with each country accusing the other of human rights abuses. The Trump administration's use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport the Venezuelans sparked a legal battle in the United States, testing the balance of power between the president and the judiciary [1].

References:
[1] https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/el-salvador-sends-detained-venezuelans-home-swap-americans-2025-07-18/
[2] https://www.dw.com/en/americans-freed-as-el-salvador-sends-back-venezuelan-migrants-deported-from-the-united-states/a-73332138
[3] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/prisoner-swap-us-venezuela-el-salvador/