In the days before the #Trump admin deported hundreds of #Venezuelan immigrants to #CECOT, a notorious prison in #ElSalvador, the president of that country demanded something: the return of 9 MS13 gang leaders in US custody. Secy of #State #MarcoRubio, in a March 13 phone call with Salvadoran President Nayib #Bukele, promised the request would be fulfilled….But there was one obstacle: Some of the MS-13 members Bukele wanted were “ #informants” under the #protection of the US govt, Rubio told him.
To #deport them to #ElSalvador, AG #PamBondi would need to terminate the #DOJ’s arrangements with those men, #MarcoRubio said. He assured #Bukele that Bondi would complete that process & Washington would hand over the MS-13 leaders.
Rubio’s extraordinary pledge illustrates the extent to which the #Trump admin was willing to meet Bukele’s demands as it negotiated what would become one of the signature agreements of Trump’s early months in office.