El Salvador denies Democratic Senator Van Hollen a visit to Kilmar Ábrego for the second time

Democratic senator for Maryland, Chris Van Hollen, denounced Thursday that he was prevented for the second time from entering the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) in El Salvador, where Kilmar Armando Ábrego García, a Salvadoran citizen with legal residence in the United States, is being held.

Van Hollen explained that he traveled to the Central American country with the purpose of personally verifying the state of health and legal situation of Ábrego García, in order to facilitate his release. However, upon arriving in the vicinity of the prison, both he and the family's lawyer were stopped at a checkpoint and were not allowed to proceed.

"Our goal was very simple today, which was to check on the health and well being," the lawmaker told a press conference. "The soldiers they've been ordered not to allow us to proceed any further than that point," he added.

Accusations of detention without communication or due process

Kilmar Ábrego García, a Salvadoran citizen who resided legally in the United States, was accused by the Trump Administration of having ties to the MS-13 gang. However, Van Hollen highlighted that neither the Salvadoran authorities nor the US government have presented substantial evidence to support his confinement under extreme conditions.

The Trump Administration is "trying to make this case about Kilmar all about MS-13, when, in fact, the judge in the case has said they've not provided substantial or any significant evidence to back up their claim," the senator said.

Van Hollen also called the detention a possible violation of international law, noting the detainee's lack of communication with his lawyers and family members.

Diplomatic obstacles and warnings

On Wednesday, Van Hollen held a meeting with Salvadoran Vice President Felix Ulloa, who rejected his request to enter the prison, arguing that it was necessary to "make certain adjustments" before authorizing the visit. The senator also assured that he was denied any possibility to contact Ábrego García by telephone or to communicate with his wife, mother and lawyer.

The case has generated growing concern among US legislators due to the apparent lack of transparency and the detainee's prolonged isolation. Van Hollen urged both the Salvadoran government and the US government to ensure respect for due process and to facilitate a diplomatic dialogue to clarify the situation.