An American citizen, Walter Josué Huete Alvarado, has been trapped in El Salvador's prison system since May 2023. He is a U.S. citizen with a minor infraction on his record – a DUI when he was a teenager – but the authorities treated him like any other suspect.
The incident happened at a party in Cantón la Estancia, where Alvarado was detained by police who pointed to tattoos on his hands and claimed he was a member of MS-13. However, the police report later stated that there was no documentary or evidentiary support indicating Alvarado belonged to any gang.
Alvarado has been shuffled between several prisons and penal institutions in nearly three years without receiving a trial. His case is exceptional given his nationality, but it reflects the broader crisis facing families in El Salvador struggling to understand their loved ones' perpetual detentions.
The country of his birth, the United States, was aware of Alvarado's detention since 2023 but did nothing to intervene. The Biden State Department hopes that smoothing relations with El Salvador would help maintain cooperation on immigration enforcement and counternarcotics. However, this policy has emboldened the Salvadoran regime, which has effectively disappeared thousands into an opaque network of prisons without trials.
The U.S. government's inaction is part of a broader trend of appeasement towards authoritarian leaders like Nayib Bukele, who rose to power and re-elected himself despite constitutional prohibitions. The Biden administration initially saw Bukele as a young leader who could bring needed reform but eventually turned to criticism after his government's "democratic backsliding."
Bukele's popularity can be attributed to the inability of previous administrations to address post-war contradictions in El Salvador, which created an intricate network of organized crime. The U.S. expulsion of Salvadoran refugees allowed MS-13 to blossom in urban centers.
El Salvador now has the highest incarceration rate in the world, with Bukele's government arresting over 90,000 Salvadorans. Human rights experts estimate that as many as half of those detained have no known gang connections. Prisons are overflowing, and prisoners face severe conditions, including torture, ill-treatment, and lack of medical care.
Alvarado has smuggled messages to his family through the U.S. embassy in El Salvador, detailing the harsh conditions he faces in prison. His case highlights the devastating impact of authoritarian regimes on journalism, as corporate news outlets cower under pressure from right-wing billionaires.
The Intercept is fighting back but needs support to expand its reporting capacity. The organization is asking for donations to continue its work in 2026.
The incident happened at a party in Cantón la Estancia, where Alvarado was detained by police who pointed to tattoos on his hands and claimed he was a member of MS-13. However, the police report later stated that there was no documentary or evidentiary support indicating Alvarado belonged to any gang.
Alvarado has been shuffled between several prisons and penal institutions in nearly three years without receiving a trial. His case is exceptional given his nationality, but it reflects the broader crisis facing families in El Salvador struggling to understand their loved ones' perpetual detentions.
The country of his birth, the United States, was aware of Alvarado's detention since 2023 but did nothing to intervene. The Biden State Department hopes that smoothing relations with El Salvador would help maintain cooperation on immigration enforcement and counternarcotics. However, this policy has emboldened the Salvadoran regime, which has effectively disappeared thousands into an opaque network of prisons without trials.
The U.S. government's inaction is part of a broader trend of appeasement towards authoritarian leaders like Nayib Bukele, who rose to power and re-elected himself despite constitutional prohibitions. The Biden administration initially saw Bukele as a young leader who could bring needed reform but eventually turned to criticism after his government's "democratic backsliding."
Bukele's popularity can be attributed to the inability of previous administrations to address post-war contradictions in El Salvador, which created an intricate network of organized crime. The U.S. expulsion of Salvadoran refugees allowed MS-13 to blossom in urban centers.
El Salvador now has the highest incarceration rate in the world, with Bukele's government arresting over 90,000 Salvadorans. Human rights experts estimate that as many as half of those detained have no known gang connections. Prisons are overflowing, and prisoners face severe conditions, including torture, ill-treatment, and lack of medical care.
Alvarado has smuggled messages to his family through the U.S. embassy in El Salvador, detailing the harsh conditions he faces in prison. His case highlights the devastating impact of authoritarian regimes on journalism, as corporate news outlets cower under pressure from right-wing billionaires.
The Intercept is fighting back but needs support to expand its reporting capacity. The organization is asking for donations to continue its work in 2026.
It's mind-boggling that a US citizen with a minor record, trapped in El Salvador's prison system, highlighting the dark underbelly of Nayib Bukele's regime 
. This case is a prime example of the perils of appeasement towards authoritarian leaders and the US government's failure to intervene, despite being aware of Alvarado's situation since 2023 
. The fact that his country of birth hasn't taken concrete action speaks volumes about the state of bilateral relations and the prioritization of pragmatic interests over human rights concerns 
.
. The statistics on El Salvador's incarceration rate are staggering – with many prisoners facing severe conditions, including torture and lack of medical care 
. As The Intercept highlights, corporate news outlets are often too intimidated to report on these issues, leaving a vacuum for unregulated sources like social media and gossip blogs 
.
. Their work in 2026 will undoubtedly play a significant role in holding those in power accountable and pushing for reform 
.
I'm so worried about Walter Josué Huete Alvarado's case, it's crazy how he's been stuck in El Salvador's prison system for over three years without even getting a trial... like, what happened to due process, you know? 
And now El Salvador has this insane incarceration rate - like, over 90,000 people locked up with no clear reason? 
It's a big problem, man. The Intercept is trying to do some good reporting but they need our support to keep going 
.
he's been stuck in a Salvadoran prison since like '23 and the US government did NOTHING about it 
that's what I call a failure of leadership... the Biden admin should've intervened, especially considering Alvarado was just a DUI with no gang ties... now El Salvador has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world 
and we're still dealing with the aftermath of the US expulsion of Salvadoran refugees back in the 80s 
it's all about accountability, folks... how can we trust Bukele's regime when they're basically eroding democracy behind our backs? 
we need to get tough on authoritarian leaders and support organizations like The Intercept that hold them accountable 
This is just wild, like how the US government knew Walter Alvarado was a citizen and stuff but didn't do anything 
. I mean, the guy rose to power on a wave of promises and now he's just...being authoritarian 
.
. The country's been dealing with its own issues for years, but no one seems to care about the people suffering 
. And now they've got the highest incarceration rate in the world? 
.
. And the US government is just enabling it? It's like they're turning a blind eye to all these atrocities 
. US did nothing about it, now what? 
the fact that Nayib Bukele is basically a dictator and the us is just appeasing him is super concerning 
And 90k people in prison? That's insane! 
how can the US just sit there and do nothing? 
they're basically enabling the El Salvador government to keep people trapped like this in prison without any trials. it's like, totally not right 
.
. If we all pitch in with donations, maybe they can do more reporting and help bring about some real change 
.
i mean, you're talking about a dude who got a DUI like 10 yrs ago and now he's been rotting in some Salvadoran prison for almost 3 years... meanwhile, his own country can't even be bothered to send someone to bail him out 
... they should be doing more to support human rights and help people like Alvarado who are just trying to navigate the system 
... and what's with the lack of transparency in El Salvador's prison system? thousands of people locked up without trials or due process 
. I mean, I know he made a mistake as a teenager, but come on, that's not grounds for perpetual detention.
. It's like, what happened to due process? What happened to protecting human rights?