Mexican authorities apprehended Francisco Javier Román-Bardales, a top MS-13 leader and FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitive, on the Teocelo-Baxtla highway in Veracruz. The arrest, reportedly resulting in his transfer to Mexico City and subsequent deportation to the US, followed accusations of directing MS-13 activities across North and Central America and involvement in numerous violent crimes. Román-Bardales faces US charges including conspiracy to support terrorism and racketeering. A $250,000 reward had been offered for his capture.
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El Salvador and the US have reached an unprecedented agreement where El Salvador will house US criminals and deportees of any nationality, including those from MS-13 and Tren de Aragua, in exchange for a fee. This deal, announced by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, allows for the deportation of non-Salvadoran criminals to El Salvador and the transfer of US-incarcerated criminals to El Salvador’s mega-prison, CECOT. The agreement has sparked condemnation from human rights groups who cite concerns about democratic backsliding and the violation of migrant rights. Critics also highlight El Salvador’s high incarceration rate and the potential for the detention of innocent individuals under its state of emergency.
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John Q. Hosedrinker