A U.S. citizen, Walter Josué Huete Alvarado, has been incarcerated in El Salvador's prison system for over three years despite being a citizen of the United States and having a minor infraction on his record.
In May 2023, Alvarado was detained by Salvadoran police after a party in Cantón la Estancia, where he had gotten into a scuffle. Despite having a U.S. passport and a DUI conviction when he was a teenager, the police claimed that he was a member of MS-13 due to tattoos on his hands.
Alvarado's family and legal counsel told The Intercept that he has been shuffled between several prisons and penal institutions without receiving a trial. His situation is exceptional given his nationality, but it reflects the broader crisis facing families in El Salvador who are struggling to understand why their loved ones are being detained.
The Biden State Department was made aware of Alvarado's detention two years ago, but took no action to intervene. Instead, the administration opted for a soft touch approach, hoping to maintain cooperation with Bukele's regime on immigration enforcement and counternarcotics.
However, this approach has been criticized as ineffective, allowing the Salvadoran government to continue its brutal repression of dissent and opposition. The state of exception, which was introduced by Bukele in 2022, has led to thousands of arrests and detentions without trial, with many people being held for extended periods without access to medical care or basic necessities.
Alvarado's case highlights the lack of accountability and oversight from the U.S. government on human rights abuses in El Salvador. Despite his detention, Alvarado continues to receive poor treatment, including inadequate food and medical care.
The Intercept reported that over 90,000 Salvadorans have been arrested under Bukele's state of exception, with many more being detained without trial. The country now has the highest incarceration rate in the world, with prisons overflowing at over 300 percent capacity.
El Salvador's government has also faced criticism for its handling of gang violence and organized crime, which has led to widespread human rights abuses. The regime's approach has been described as "iron fist" and has led to increased repression and censorship.
The Intercept noted that Bukele's popularity can be attributed in part to previous administrations' inability to address the country's post-war contradictions. El Salvador's reconciliation process was overseen by the United States and the ultra-conservative Alianza Republicana Nacionalista party, which paved the way for the selling of the country's telecommunications, banking, and energy infrastructure off to foreign interests.
The Intercept is seeking to expand its reporting capacity to effectively cover this crisis. The organization relies on donations from members and subscribers to fund its reporting efforts.
In May 2023, Alvarado was detained by Salvadoran police after a party in Cantón la Estancia, where he had gotten into a scuffle. Despite having a U.S. passport and a DUI conviction when he was a teenager, the police claimed that he was a member of MS-13 due to tattoos on his hands.
Alvarado's family and legal counsel told The Intercept that he has been shuffled between several prisons and penal institutions without receiving a trial. His situation is exceptional given his nationality, but it reflects the broader crisis facing families in El Salvador who are struggling to understand why their loved ones are being detained.
The Biden State Department was made aware of Alvarado's detention two years ago, but took no action to intervene. Instead, the administration opted for a soft touch approach, hoping to maintain cooperation with Bukele's regime on immigration enforcement and counternarcotics.
However, this approach has been criticized as ineffective, allowing the Salvadoran government to continue its brutal repression of dissent and opposition. The state of exception, which was introduced by Bukele in 2022, has led to thousands of arrests and detentions without trial, with many people being held for extended periods without access to medical care or basic necessities.
Alvarado's case highlights the lack of accountability and oversight from the U.S. government on human rights abuses in El Salvador. Despite his detention, Alvarado continues to receive poor treatment, including inadequate food and medical care.
The Intercept reported that over 90,000 Salvadorans have been arrested under Bukele's state of exception, with many more being detained without trial. The country now has the highest incarceration rate in the world, with prisons overflowing at over 300 percent capacity.
El Salvador's government has also faced criticism for its handling of gang violence and organized crime, which has led to widespread human rights abuses. The regime's approach has been described as "iron fist" and has led to increased repression and censorship.
The Intercept noted that Bukele's popularity can be attributed in part to previous administrations' inability to address the country's post-war contradictions. El Salvador's reconciliation process was overseen by the United States and the ultra-conservative Alianza Republicana Nacionalista party, which paved the way for the selling of the country's telecommunications, banking, and energy infrastructure off to foreign interests.
The Intercept is seeking to expand its reporting capacity to effectively cover this crisis. The organization relies on donations from members and subscribers to fund its reporting efforts.
This is so messed up! 
A US citizen gets detained in El Salvador for 3+ years without a trial, just because of some tattoos? 
That's insane! The fact that the Biden State Dept knew about this two years ago and did nothing is just ridiculous. 
It's like they're more concerned with keeping it quiet than actually doing something to help Walter Huete Alvarado.
That's a human rights crisis waiting to happen. And the prisons are overflowing? 
It's like the system is just broken.
he's just a dude who got into a fight @ a party & now hes been locked up for over 3 yrs cuz of some stupid tattoos 
& his fam & lawyers r all like "hey whats goin on" but nothin changes 
. this whole situation is so wrong, u would think the us gov would be like "hold up hold up walter's a citizen!" 
but nope they just kinda let it slide. its all about those politics & keeping the biden admin quiet 
. el salvador's prison system is literally breaking down, its crazy 2 think that el 300% capacity is normal lol 
it's so sad to hear about Walter Alvarado being stuck in El Salvador's prison system for over 3 years! 
I mean, come on, he's a US citizen with a minor infraction, but the police just assumed he was part of MS-13 because of his tattoos? 
anyone can get stuck in this kind of situation, and it's up to us to speak out against the system that allows it. 
. Like, what's going on over there with all these detentions and arrests without trial? It's like they're trying to make an example out of people or something 
.
. It's a total human rights disaster 
. The Intercept needs to keep shining a light on this stuff and holding people accountable 
. We need to know what's going on in El Salvador and we need to make sure someone does something about it 
.
what a complete joke the US government is doing here?! 
and for what? so they can keep their "cooperation" on immigration enforcement and counternarcotics? 
we need real action, not just empty words. 
. And the fact that his family and lawyers have been trying to get him out for TWO YEARS without even getting a trial is just crazy 
.