Trump open to sending US inmates to El Salvador

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said he is open to transferring US inmates to El Salvador, when asked by reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, reported German news agency (dpa).

Previously, President of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, had offered to house violent US offenders in El Salvador's high-security prison complex, the Terrorism Confinement Centre (CECOT), known for its harsh conditions.

"If they can house these criminals for a lot less money than it costs us, I'm all for it, but I'd only do it according to the law," Trump said.

Trump has also invited Bukele to the White House on April 14 for further discussions on the topic.

The proposal comes as Washington has already begun sending hundreds of suspected Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador, in apparent defiance of a US judge's order blocking the Trump administration from carrying out such expulsions.

Bukele has since extended the offer to include convicted US citizens, suggesting it would make El Salvador's prison system financially sustainable.

Rights groups have repeatedly criticised Bukele's prison policies, citing arbitrary arrests and widespread human rights violations.

-- BERNAMA