In February 2023, El Salvador inaugurated the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), a sprawling mega-prison in Tecoluca, designed to hold up to 40,000 inmates. Since its opening, it has drawn global attention—not only for its sheer size, but for the deeply controversial conditions under which prisoners are held.
Each cell reportedly houses 65 to 70 individuals, with just two sinks and two toilets. Inmates are denied outdoor access, family visits, and meaningful rehabilitation programs. Videos and reports show prisoners shaved, shackled, and seated in silence—an image that, while powerful, has raised alarm among human rights groups.
Organizations like Human Rights Watch have condemned the lack of due process, overcrowding, and dehumanizing treatment. More than 200 Venezuelans deported from the U.S. are currently held at CECOT without legal representation or outside contact—a fact that only adds to growing concerns.
But the problem isn’t isolated. Across Latin America, prison overcrowding is a chronic crisis. Brazil, Honduras, and Guatemala all suffer from under-resourced, overpopulated prison systems where inmates live in conditions that often violate basic human dignity.
CECOT may be framed by some as a bold response to crime. But it also reflects a growing regional trend: mass incarceration over systemic reform. The idea that criminality can be addressed solely through larger and harsher prisons ignores deeper social issues—and often causes more harm than good.
What Does Justice Look Like?
A prison can hold bodies, but it cannot heal what society chooses to ignore. CECOT stands not only as a facility—but as a question:
How far are we willing to go in the name of control, and what do we lose along the way?