PERSONAL: Venezuelan father speaks out about son's detention in Salvadoran prison

Record ID: 1986167

  • Title: PERSONAL: Venezuelan father speaks out about son's detention in Salvadoran prison
  • Date: 27th March 2025
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) FATHER OF VENEZUELAN DEPORTED BY THE U.S. TO A SALVADORAN PRISON, NELSON MENDOZA, SAYING: "Since 2022, there's been a state of exception (referring to El Salvador) where all rights are violated—constitutional, human, and civil rights. I feel powerless, but with my legal knowledge, I will do everything for my son and others in that situation." VARIOUS
  • Embargoed:
  • Keywords: Deportations El Salvador Human rights Migraiton Trump U.S. policies Venezuela
  • Location: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
  • City: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
  • Country: Venezuela
  • Topics: Asylum/Immigration/Refugees,South America / Central America,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA002194626032025RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Nelson Mendoza, the father of Jean Claude Mendoza, a 37-year-old Venezuelan who tried to migrate to the United States, shared on Wednesday (March 26) his son's journey and the challenges faced after his deportation and detention in El Salvador.
    Jean Claude, who had entered the U.S. legally with a CBP ONE appointment on January 13th, was unexpectedly detained, possibly due to his tattoos, his father told Reuters.
    The last contact Nelson had with his son was one day before he was deported. His son said that U.S. authorities were about to deport him, most likely to a country other than Venezuela, because they hadn't made him sign any document.
    Nelson learned of his son's deportation thanks to a list of names published by CBS News on Thursday, March 20th.
    Nelson expressed his fear regarding the current state of exception in El Salvador, where he believes human rights are being violated.
    He emphasized his son's education and leadership qualities, noting that he had studied in the U.S. and worked in various legal roles in Venezuela. Nelson vowed to use his legal expertise to support his son and others affected by similar circumstances.
    President Donald Trump invoked the 1798 Alien Enemies Act on March 15 to swiftly deport alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, attempting to speed up removals with a law best known for its use to intern Japanese, Italian and German immigrants during World War Two.
    A U.S. District Judge temporarily blocked the Alien Enemies Act deportations later that day following a legal challenge by the American Civil Liberties Union. But the Trump administration allowed two planes already in the air to continue to El Salvador, where the U.S. handed 238 Venezuelan men over to Salvadoran authorities to be placed in the country's high-security prison, CECOT.
    (Production: Efrain Otero, Hugo Monnet)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2025. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: Footage contains photographs or artwork. User is responsible for obtaining additional clearances before publishing this clip.
Register