El Salvador President Nayib Bukele has recently shared photos on X in which US Senator Chris Van Hollen is seen sitting with Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an alleged MS-13 member, appearing relaxed and sipping margaritas during the senator’s visit to the country.
“Kilmar Abrego Garcia, miraculously risen from the “death camps” & “torture”, now sipping margaritas with Sen. Van Hollen in the tropical paradise of El Salvador!” he wrote on X.
Garcia, a Salvadoran national who had lived in the United States for over a decade with a valid work permit, was deported in March despite a court order halting his deportation. He was deported to El Salvador’s infamous mega-prison last month.
Hollen, a Democratic senator from Maryland, traveled to El Salvador this week to push for Garcia’s release. He later posted his photo with the deported US resident on X and wrote, “My main goal for this trip to El Salvador was to meet Kilmar—and tonight, I had that opportunity. I also called his wife, Jennifer, to share a message of love from him. I’ll provide a full update when I return.”
Despite his visit to El Salvador, Hollen claimed that El Salvador’s government restricted Garcia’s release, alleging that US financial support was effectively helping to fund his continued detention.