“We live hell,” the Venezuelan said.

“We live hell,” Mervin Yamarte, 29, walked into his mother’s home, wiped his tears and sweat soaked his face.

He is one of four men from near Los Pescador, Maracabo, Venezuela, who were expelled from the American Center for Terrorism (Cecot), the highest security prison in El Salvador.

Since returning to the White House in January, U.S. President Donald Trump has tried to step up deportation of immigrants. Many of them were sent to Cecot on crime charges under the agreement with El Salvador.

Mervin Yamarte and his friends – Edwuarhernández Herrera, Andy Perozo and Ringo Rincón – spent four months in the infamous large prison before being released on the prisoner exchange last Friday.

All four told BBC News Mundo that during the months of their imprisonment, they were beaten and treated “like animals”, including eating with their hands.

The BBC has sought a response to the allegations from the El Salvador government, but has not received a response.

Its President Nayib Bukele previously denied the allegations, and the Venezuelan government attacked him in an ongoing allegation exchange. Venezuela is currently facing an investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC) that is similar to the charges in El Salvador.

As part of the prisoner deal reached by the U.S. government, Venezuela and the El Salvador government, a total of 252 Venezuelans flew from Secot to the Venezuelan capital Caracas.

The Venezuelans were released from Cecot in El Salvador last week and were initially deported from the United States under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 – a law that allows the removal of individuals who are not American citizens in war or invasion or invasion.

Trump sparked controversy earlier this year as part of a part of an effort to expel alleged gang members.

U.S. authorities accused the deported individuals of being members of the Venezuelan Tren de Alaguya criminal gang and argued that they were “engaging in irregular wars” in the United States.

But four deportees who spoke with BBC News Mundo of Los Pescadores denied any connections with Tren de Aragua.

They said they were arrested in Texas on alleged immigration charges after being mistakenly identified as gang members due to their tattoos.

After their imprisonment at Cecot, the return of four people is happily abandoned in their hometown.

When they finally arrived at 16:15 local time, after a 15-hour bus trip from the capital, a noisy motorcycle caravan rang out their horn to welcome them. “Volver A Casa” (Return to Home), the song has become the national anthem for immigrants returning to Venezuela, and is also fully exploded.

Mervin Yamarte, who was detained at a tortilla factory in Texas, was welcomed by his family at his mother’s home.

His relatives decorated the place with balloons in the yellow, blue and red places of the Venezuelan flag and bought him a series of gifts – including watches, several bottles of subsequent candies and chocolates.

But when Mr. Yamat enters the home and holds his six-year-old daughter in his arms, he recalls the physical and psychological abuse he says he suffered in Secott.

“The Prison Director tells us who enters [the prison] Never come out. ” he claimed.

Mr Yamat said the guards forced prisoners to “like animals” with their hands while sitting on the floor.

He added that they were hit “often” and nothing could clean themselves up.

on Monday, Venezuela’s Attorney General Tarek William Saab condemns the use of “systemic torture” in SecotThat included sexual abuse, daily beatings and food to decayed by prisoners, he said.

Sab announced that Venezuela will investigate President Berkle, as well as Attorney General Gustavo Villatoro and prison director Osiris Luna Meza for alleged abuse.

Buckley replied on X, writing: “The Maduro regime is satisfied with the prisoner exchange, which is why they accepted it”.

Speaking about the fact that prisoner exchanges include the release of all American nationals in Venezuela, Bucker added: “Now they yell and feel indignant, not because they disagree. [prisoners’] Treatment, but because they realize they don’t have any hostages from the most powerful country in the world. ”

Since its opening in 2023, Cecot has been repeatedly criticized by rights groups for its treatment of prisoners, especially the number of prisoners in each cell and the harsh conditions it has suffered.

Prison officials insist that it meets international standards. But this is not what Andy Perozo said of the experience.

“Beating is part of the day-to-day job,” he told BBC News Mundo at his parents’ home in Los Pescadores.

The 30-year-old said he was hit by a rubber bullet near his left eye while in Cecot.

He claimed that prison authorities would only feed and dress prisoners during instant Red Cross deputies’ visits and to “take photos”, which would make the prison appear in a good way.

Mr. Hernández Herrera, the youngest of four detainees from Los Pescadores, was welcomed home by his mother, Yarelis.

She said on Friday, she found her son getting off at Maiquetía Airport outside Caracas. About twelve neighbors gathered in front of TV to watch the play of two planes by El Salvador.

“It seems like we were watching football, all the crying and yelling,” she recalled. “You have to be made of stones and don’t cry.”

Next to the entrance to her house, a poster was hung with the photo of Hernández Herrera and the word “Welcome to Home, My Love”.

Below the photo, a message was given to him: “You know, your mother never gave up on you, nor did your family.”

Mr Hernández Herrera, who was drinking beer inside, said he had also been “tortured” in Cecot, adding that he was “shot” four times by rubber bullets.

“The bed is metal, I don’t know whether to sleep or stay awake, we’ve never met a lawyer or a judge,” he said.

Mr Rincón, 39, sat with BBC Mundo with his mother and child, also said he was a victim of abuse, claiming that he started once he arrived in El Salvador.

“They beat us until we were bleeding. We were hit as we were dragged out of the plane, bent over and walked by, and up to five chains were tied up.”

He told the BBC that he plans to make a formal complaint about Cecot’s treatment through the office of the Venezuelan Attorney General. Another Venezuelan man has taken action against the U.S. government for sending him to Secot.

In his description of the situation inside the prison, Andy Perozo told the BBC Mundo that Venezuelan prisoners found one of their own seriously injured, with two riots.

He accused a special guard, a prisoner called “Satan” who was mostly abused.

But Andy Perozo smiled as the conversation turned to his children.

He hugged them as he posed for a photo. He joked, “I hardly know them, they are big now.”

When asked about his plans for the future, he said: “Don’t leave the country and work again.”