17 'violent criminals' from El Tren de Aragua and MS-13 sent to jail in El Salvador

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced in a post on X that a group of "violent criminals" had been transferred on Sunday night to prisons in El Salvador, as part of an anti-terrorist operation.

Rubio described the operation, in which the U.S. military and other allies collaborated, as "successful." This is not the first time the U.S. and El Salvador have worked together in these areas.

According to the head of diplomacy, a group of 17 violent criminals from the Tren de Aragua and MS-13 organizations, including murderers and rapists, were "transferred" to the Central American country.

Rubio recalled in his message that, to keep the people safe, Trump designated Tren de Aragua and MS-13 as Foreign Terrorist Organizations. "These criminals will no longer terrorize our communities and citizens," he added.

In his post, he thanked President Nayib Bukele and the government of El Salvador "for their unparalleled collaboration in making our countries safer from transnational crime and terrorism."

So far, the U.S. secretary has not disclosed the identities or nationalities of the inmates transferred to the Salvadoran prison.

Noem's tour and her message from CECOT

The recent sending of inmates to the Salvadoran prison comes days after the Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem kicked off a Latin American tour with a first stop at the maximum security prison in Tecoluca, El Salvador, where more than 200 illegal immigrants deported by the Trump administration are being held.

Noem toured the Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (CECOT), a prison inaugurated last year by President Nayib Bukele as part of his crackdown on gangs. From inside the facility, she delivered a strong message warning criminals and immigrants who harm the U.S. that they could end up in that prison.

In March, Washington sent 238 Venezuelans to the facility, who, despite questioning, are claimed to be part of the Aragua Train, one of the criminal organizations included by the administration on the list of terrorist organizations.