The Trump administration is under fire for allegedly engaging in a “criminal conspiracy” with El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele to silence a key MS-13 leader. Newly unsealed court documents reveal federal prosecutors are trying to dismiss severe charges against Vladimir Antonio Arevalo-Chavez, a top figure on MS-13’s “Ranfla Nacional,” to deport him. Critics and legal experts argue this move is a calculated attempt to prevent Arevalo-Chavez from testifying about a secret 2019 deal between Bukele’s government and MS-13, which reportedly involved concessions to the gang for reduced violence and political support.
The controversy is amplified by revelations that this deportation is linked to a broader agreement allowing the US to use El Salvador’s high-security Cecot prison for immigrants. Professor Michael Ahn Paarlberg described the situation as “collusion between two governments to cover up a gang pact by dropping charges on known gangsters.” Arevalo-Chavez faces charges of racketeering, terrorism, and narco-terrorism, and his intimate knowledge of Bukele’s alleged dealings makes him a critical witness. This isn’t an isolated case; another high-ranking MS-13 member with similar knowledge was quietly deported in March after charges were dismissed.
Picture credit: nara.getarchive.net
