Congressman Gonzalez Meets with Salvadoran President Bukele and Tours CECOT Amid Efforts to Strengthen Bilateral Ties

 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34) announced his recent trip to El Salvador where he met with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele and toured several sites, including the country’s maximum-security prison, el Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo or CECOT. Congressman Gonzalez led this trip with fellow Congressional El Salvador Caucus Co-Chair, Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna (FL-13). Both were joined by fellow caucus member Congressman Andy Ogles (TN-05) and former Congressman and Co-Chair, Matt Gaetz.

The bipartisan group of lawmakers met with President Bukele and Salvadoran leadership to discuss the importance of U.S.-El Salvador relations and the crucial role El Salvador plays in the region. The delegation then toured the Children’s Home of San Vicente De Paul which provides children whose families are incarcerated safety, care, and educational opportunities. This was followed by a visit to La Libertad, El Salvador, to greet local leaders and receive the key to the city. Lastly, the delegation toured CECOT facilities in Tecoluca, El Salvador and saw firsthand the operations behind one of the world’s largest maximum-security prisons. 

“I thank President Bukele for hosting our Congressional delegation as we work to ensure the relationship between the people of the U.S. and El Salvador continues to prosper,” said Congressman Gonzalez. “El Salvador is crucial in helping the United States curb the flow of irregular migration and is an important ally in the western hemisphere.” 

“President Bukele and I also discussed the detention of individuals from the United States. As a U.S. lawyer, I have concerns about whether due process and constitutional protections are being followed—specifically regarding the detention of foreign nationals. I made sure to assert these concerns during our discussions.” 

Photos from the visit are available here.  

###