Latin America

“There’s no sheets [and] no mattresses. [Prisoners] sleep on cold steel frames and they eat the same meal every single day. Utensils are banned so they use their hands [to eat]. There’s just two open toilets in each of these massive cells and the lights stay on 24/7,” . . ..

Neither the US nor El Salvador offered any immediate evidence that the scores of Venezuelan prisoners sent to Cecot this weekend were in fact gang members or had been convicted of any offense.

. . . large, windowless cells equipped with only basic amenities—tiered metal bunks, an open toilet, and a cement basin. Each cell can fit 65 to 70 prisoners.

Personal items, books, or even letters from family are banned. Prisoners spend 23.5 hours a day locked in their cells, with a brief, 30-minute window for exercise or religious activities in a central hallway. Meals are basic, consisting mainly of beans, rice, and plantains, with no meat served.