El Salvador Prison: Thousands of gang members kept in cramped cells amid torture, fear of death. No one comes out alive

New photos reveal the terrible conditions inside a massive prison in El Salvador, built to hold members of the country's most violent gangs. Known as the Centre for the Confinement of Terrorism, this huge facility in Tecoluca can hold about 40,000 prisoners, similar to fitting two full Madison Square Gardens, as per the reports of 'New York Post'. The El Salvadoran government posted photographs of numerous severely tattooed, shirtless prisoners being transferred to the maximum-security jail.

These prisoners are continuously in fear of being tortured or killed while being held in small, artificially lit cells. No inmate who has ever been admitted has ever been freed.

Conditions captured in Photographs

As reported by the 'New York Post', in one image, men with clean-shaven heads are seen, packed inside a transport bus with their hands tied behind their backs and their heads bent forward.


Another image shows semi-naked prisoners standing in a long line under the watchful eye of highly armed guards with their heads bent forward, nearly touching the prisoner in front of them.

In additional pictures, guards can be seen counting the prisoners while they are squatting on the floor of large rooms with their hands on their heads.

According to the 'Daily Mail', more than 2,000 gang members from jails across El Salvador were recently transferred to the mega-prison. Most of them belong to the country's main gangs, 'MS-13' and 'Barrio 18'.

This transfer is part of President Nayib Bukele's harsh crackdown on drug-trafficking gangs. In the last two years, authorities have imprisoned over 70,000 people to eliminate street crime.

Harsh living conditions

In the prison, inmates are forced to eat meals of rice, pasta, or hard-boiled eggs with their hands because guards fear utensils could be turned into weapons.

Prisoners are only permitted to spend 30 minutes a day outside of their cells. As officials fear they would use weights and barbells to harm each other, they are only allowed to exercise with their body weight, according to the 'Daily Mail'.

FAQs:

What do the new photos reveal about the prison in El Salvador?
The photos show harsh conditions inside a massive prison meant for violent gang members, where no inmate has ever been released.

How many prisoners can the Centre for the Confinement of Terrorism hold?
It can hold about 40,000 prisoners, equivalent to two full Madison Square Gardens.