The government of El Salvador shows off a mega-prison that will soon be operational

(CNN) — El Salvador’s President Nayeb Bugele toured the facilities of the Terrorism Detention Center, an eight-block mega-prison that will soon begin operations and, according to officials’ estimates, will house at least 40,000 gang members. . The tour was shown by the National Radio and Television Network on Tuesday night.

The cells are made of concrete, the doors are reinforced iron and the water for the prisoners’ use is controlled by guards. If he enters this center, he won’t come out again,” said Director of Correctional Centers Osiris Luna, one of the officials who visited with the president.

Officials have clarified that the inmates will not come out of the jail and will participate in court hearings through video conferencing. The Director of Prison Centers explained that when a prisoner is transferred from the prison to the courtroom, he wears shackles on his hands and feet. The same procedure is followed even if he is taken to an isolation cell for punishment.

Counter-Terrorism Centre, #CECOTThere are following areas:

✅ Pavilions for keeping prisoners
✅ Home for guard dogs
✅ Security guard building
✅ Access control through full body scanner, parcel scanner and metal arch pic.twitter.com/YoUiAast07

— Presidential Palace 🇸🇻 (@PresidenciaSV) February 1, 2023

“He’s not going to go out to hearings, threaten judges, threaten witnesses, occupy the exit to organize himself with structures,” Bugel said during the visit.

During the tour, public safety officials briefed the President that the prison will have multiple security rings, including a 15,000-volt electric fence, prison guards controlling the perimeter through 19 watch towers, soldiers, and police officers to prevent leaks. . A 50-member team of the National Civil Police will permanently support the search.

Terrorism Prevention Center https://t.co/TSCkfl41EY

– Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) February 1, 2023

“The puppeteers will not tell us that we are violating the human rights of terrorists because El Salvador has taken the same path as the first world nations, the path of justice.” He promised this Tuesday Justice and Defense Minister Gustavo Villatoro in a message on his Twitter page.

The imposition of emergency rule has sparked criticism from social organizations in El Salvador and international organizations such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, which consider it a violation of human rights.

Since the end of March 2022, when a state of emergency was imposed in response to a surge of violence that left 62 murders in a single day, El Salvador’s government has captured more than 62,000 people, according to security officials.