The Trump administration is facing accusations of attempting to dismiss criminal charges against a high-ranking MS-13 leader, Vladimir Antonio Arevalo-Chavez, to facilitate his deportation to El Salvador. Critics and Arevalo-Chavez’s legal team allege this move is a favor to Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, who reportedly made a secret pact with the gang in 2019. Arevalo-Chavez is said to have crucial information about this agreement, which involved Bukele’s government providing concessions to MS-13 in exchange for reduced violence and electoral support.
This attempt to deport Arevalo-Chavez is seen as part of a broader deal between the Trump administration and Bukele, allowing the US to use Salvadoran prisons for incarcerated immigrants. The Justice Department cited “sensitive and important foreign policy considerations” and “geopolitical and national security concerns” for the requested dismissal. However, opponents argue it’s an effort to prevent Arevalo-Chavez from testifying in a US court and revealing details about Bukele’s past ties to the gang. A judge has temporarily blocked the deportation, requesting more information on the reasoning. This situation echoes a recent case where another high-ranking MS-13 member, Cesar Humberto López-Larios, was quietly deported to El Salvador after charges were dismissed.