El Salvador’s mega-prison

The U.S. has sent hundreds of migrants to El Salvador to be held without trial in a controversial supermax prison

EL SALVADOR
San Salvador
CECOT
50km
30 miles

CENTRE FOR CONFINEMENT OF TERRORISM (CECOT)
Largest prison in Americas with capacity for 40,000 inmates. Opened in Feb 2023

Compound: Surrounded by two electrified fences and two reinforced concrete walls

Security: Guarded by 600 soldiers and 250 police officers

Total of 19 guard towers

Eight blocks, 32 cells each

Cells: Each cell can house average of 156 inmates. Equipped with four-level metal bunks, no mattresses, two toilets and two sinks

Each inmate has 0.6 sq m of space within shared cell. Red Cross recommends 3.4 sq m per prisoner as international standard

0.6 sq m
3.4 sq m

730m

Prison is part of highly popular hardline security policy of Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele (left), who calls himself the “world’s coolest dictator”

Sources: Reuters, BBC, El Salvador government
Pictures: Getty Images, Google maps
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