Chile's far-right President-elect José Antonio Kast visited El Salvador's mega-prison for accused gang members on Friday ahead of a meeting with President Nayib Bukele to discuss organised crime. The Terrorism Confinement Center, or CECOT, has been a symbol for right-leaning politicians in Latin America seeking to replicate Bukele's heavy-handed crackdown on gangs, despite accusations of human rights abuses.
Kast, who promised to crack down on crime during his election campaign, posted a photo on social media platform X showing him aboard a helicopter en route to the prison, accompanied by his security minister. He said Chile needs to 'import good ideas and proposals' to combat organised crime, drug trafficking and terrorism. El Salvador's presidential office said Chile's incoming government wants to learn firsthand about the country's security model and assess how it could be adapted.
The visit comes weeks after Costa Rica broke ground on a similar prison, while Honduras, Ecuador and Guatemala have taken measures to fight gangs. In brief remarks, Kast stressed the importance of understanding El Salvador's prison system as part of a broader judicial and security framework, but added that the visit was meant to study it, 'not necessarily to replicate it in the same way.'
CECOT has been heavily criticised for its harsh conditions and lack of due process. Human rights groups have documented torture and deaths in detention since President Bukele declared a state of emergency in 2022. The prison holds up to 40,000 inmates in eight cellblocks, with each cell housing 65 to 70 prisoners. Inmates receive no visitors, no outdoor time, and have no access to workshops or educational programmes.
Kast and his delegation met with El Salvador's security Cabinet before touring one of the cellblocks to observe the conditions under which the most dangerous alleged gang members are held. He was scheduled to hold a private meeting with Bukele at the presidential palace later in the day.
