A 60 Minutes episode investigating the brutal Cecot prison in El Salvador, which was pulled from air by CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, has appeared online after being published on a Canadian streaming platform owned by Global TV.
The nearly 14-minute segment provides an in-depth look at the Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (Cecot) prison, featuring footage of detainees being shackled upon arrival. It includes interviews with former inmates who describe harsh treatment, including beatings and confinement in punishment cells with no light or ventilation.
Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi noted that the episode had been screened five times and cleared by CBS attorneys and standards and practices. In a private note to colleagues, she said pulling it was 'not an editorial decision, it is a political one.' Weiss defended the decision, stating the piece needed additional context and would air when ready.
The episode highlights a 2023 US State Department report citing torture and life-threatening conditions at Cecot, and features Human Rights Watch deputy director Juan Pappier, who detailed systematic torture and found that nearly half the inmates had no criminal history. The segment also shows President Trump praising El Salvador's prison system during a meeting with President Bukele.
