BONUS: Inside El Salvador's CECOT Prison for MS-13 Gang Members, plus Stopping China from Having Control of the Panama Canal

Aug 30, 2025

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In this bonus episode of Verdict with Ted Cruz:

Senator Cruz describes his recent visit to El Salvador, where he toured the CECOT (Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo) prison.
The prison was built to house up to 40,000 of the country’s most dangerous gang members (MS-13, Barrio 18).
Conditions:
- Cells hold 100 prisoners each, with bunk beds stacked four levels high.
- Prisoners are locked in cells 23 hours a day, with 1 hour allowed for exercise and religious instruction (both mandatory).
- No cellphones—blocked with jammers, with heavy fines for carriers if a call gets through.
- Monitored constantly by guards with machine guns and 24/7 lighting.
Cruz compares it to U.S. prisons, noting it is much harsher and more controlled. He highlights the dramatic drop in El Salvador’s homicide rate (down ~98%), attributing it to President Bukele’s crackdown and mass incarceration of gang members.
He even interviews an MS-13 member from Texas who admitted to murder in El Salvador and hinted at crimes in the U.S. The inmate expressed regret about his son possibly joining a gang but acknowledged that El Salvador’s new security situation made that less likely.

2. Panama Canal and Chinese Influence

Cruz also traveled to Panama, where he toured the Panama Canal and met with government officials.
He emphasizes Panama’s strategic importance to U.S. national security and commerce.
Concerns raised:
- Chinese companies control key infrastructure near the canal, including ports, a bridge under construction, and a metro tunnel project.
- Cruz warns this could give China leverage to disrupt U.S. military and commercial shipping if conflict arises (e.g., over Taiwan).
- He pressed Panamanian officials to remove Chinese control and noted ongoing negotiations to transfer two Chinese-run ports to a U.S. consortium.
He frames this as a matter of U.S.–Panama shared interest: Panama also risks economic and security harm if China can choke canal operations.

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