Terrorism Confinement Center
An aerial view of the prison | |
| Location | Tecoluca, El Salvador |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 13°32′1″N 88°48′18″W / 13.53361°N 88.80500°W |
| Status | Operational |
| Security class | Maximum security prison |
| Capacity | 40,000 |
| Population | 14,532 (as of 11 June 2024) |
| Opened | 31 January 2023 |
| Managed by | Ministry of Justice and Public Security |
| Director | Belarmino García |
The Terrorism Confinement Center (Spanish: Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo [CECOT], lit. 'Center for the Confinement of Terrorism') is a maximum security prison in Tecoluca, El Salvador. The prison was built in late 2022 amid a large-scale gang crackdown in the country. The Salvadoran government opened the prison in late January 2023, and it began housing inmates the following month.
As of 11 June 2024, CECOT had a confirmed population of 14,532 inmates; in November 2024, prison director Belarmino García estimated that CECOT held between 15,000 and 20,000 inmates. With a capacity for 40,000 inmates, CECOT is the largest prison in Latin America and one of the largest in the world by prisoner capacity. In March 2025, the Salvadoran government accepted over 200 deportees that the second Donald Trump administration alleged were Venezuelan and Salvadoran gang members and incarcerated them in CECOT. Among them was Kilmar Abrego Garcia, whose case received widespread media attention in the United States.
CECOT is controversial, receiving praise for its detention of alleged gang members and criticism for alleged human rights abuses, including overcrowding, lack of due process, and inhumane conditions. CECOT does not engage in rehabilitation. Only Abrego Garcia is confirmed to have been released from the facility and authorities have stated in media statements that there are no plans to release any other prisoners. Additionally, the imprisonment of deportees from the US is a controversial issue on its own.
The Salvadoran government has allowed selected media outlets access to participate in guided tours of the prison, while others such as United States senator Chris Van Hollen have been denied access. CECOT has been featured in several videos published on social media, including by Salvadoran president Nayib Bukele.