El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele dismisses torture claims by releasing footage of detainee Kilmar Abrego Garcia enjoying recreational activities behind bars.
At a Glance
- Video shows Garcia participating in leisure activities, contradicting his torture claims.
- Bukele challenges the media’s narrative with visual evidence of Garcia’s condition.
- Garcia, deported under Trump, accused of gang ties, reports abuse in El Salvador prisons.
- Court filings underscore issues with U.S. deportation practices and human rights concerns.
Release of Dubious Video Footage
El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, no stranger to controversy, recently released footage to obliterate allegations made by Kilmar Abrego Garcia. The video shows Garcia in apparent good health, engaging in leisurely activities like gardening, watching TV, playing soccer, and even fishing in a Salvadoran prison. This bold move seems to fly directly in the face of claims that Garcia, deported from the U.S. under a tough-on-immigration Trump policy, was tortured by Salvadoran authorities.
President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador releases video showing Kilmar Abrego Garcia was treated well.
This refutes Garcia alleging he suffered “severe beatings,” sleep deprivation, and malnutrition.
He’s a liar, an illegal, and a criminal.
Deport Kilmar.pic.twitter.com/JbZaY9anTq
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) July 4, 2025
Garcia claims that his time at El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT) was rife with abuse, including beatings, sleep deprivation, and a dismal physical state. Yet, President Bukele proudly asserts quite the opposite, showing footage suggesting leisure and weight gain. Bukele isn’t just flipping the script; he’s redefining spin. “If he’d been tortured, sleep-deprived, and starved, why does he look so well in every picture?” Bukele pointedly asked.
Watch a report: Bukele releases footage of detainee Kilmar Abrego Garcia
Doubting Narratives
Garcia, who claimed his condition deteriorated at CECOT, states he lost 31 pounds in merely two weeks due to severe mistreatment. His lawyers allege a nightmare of beatings and psychological abuse, igniting a wave of backlash, particularly from human rights groups. Meanwhile, Bukele criticizes the media and the Western judiciary for their gullibility, sarcastically commenting, “Apparently, anything a criminal claims is accepted as truth by the mainstream media and the crumbling Western judiciary.”
Amid the murky claims, the Trump administration’s attempt to purge gang influence by labeling MS-13 as a terrorist organization presents a bigger picture of U.S. deportation tactics. Salvadoran officials confirmed Garcia’s tattoos weren’t gang-related, contradicting earlier U.S. claims. The saga escalates concerns about U.S. deportation and human rights protections, begging the question, who exactly is in control of narratives here?
Controversy and International Relations
Beyond individual claims and counterclaims, this case underscores broader judicial and humanitarian considerations regarding detainee treatment. The Trump administration faces scrutiny again, after Abrego Garcia, initially sent back as a supposed gang member, was rectified and wrongly deported. His current federal smuggling charges in the U.S., meanwhile, quench no concerns over the ethical and legal standards in deportation practices.
“The media’s sympathetic narrative about this criminal illegal gang member has completely fallen apart,” said a DHS spokesperson. Whether Bukele’s aggressive anti-gang campaign truly contributes to the lowest homicide rates in El Salvador remains contentious. Ultimately, this ordeal highlights grave concerns over how narratives are constructed, scrutinized, and either dispelled or preserved, depending on who’s wielding the mic.
