Pablo Torre Finds Out The Goalie Who Went to Hell and Back
Dec 9, 2025
Paola Ramos, a dedicated journalist specializing in immigration and Latin America, shares the harrowing journey of Hersey Reyes, a Venezuelan goalkeeper mistakenly imprisoned in El Salvador due to a Real Madrid tattoo. She explores why he fled Venezuela, his unjust detainment, and life in the notorious CICOT prison filled with brutality. Hersey’s tale of survival, hope, and eventual triumph is a striking reminder of human resilience, as he turns a terrifying ordeal into a mission to inspire local youth back home.
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From Asylum Seeker To Disappeared Detainee
- Gerse (Hersey) Reyes fled Venezuela seeking the American dream and legally crossed into the U.S. before ending up in ICE detention.
- He later disappeared from U.S. custody and was flown to El Salvador's Cicot prison known as El Infierno.
Sports Tattoos Misread As Gang Signals
- U.S. officials equated sports tattoos with gang affiliation, using visual markers to label migrants dangerous.
- That conflation turned a Real Madrid tattoo into grounds for branding an innocent coach a gang member.
The Flight To El Infierno
- Gerse recounts being placed on a plane guarded by ICE, CBP, and FBI and diverted to El Salvador where guards mocked him upon arrival.
- He was shaved, humiliated, and told he would be treated like a terrorist inside CICOT.
