El Salvador’s massive Terrorism Confinement Centre has attracted international attention because of its enormous capacity, strict security arrangements and role in the country’s crackdown on criminal gangs.
The prison was opened in February 2023 and is located in an isolated area more than 40 miles east of the capital, San Salvador.
Designed to accommodate up to 40,000 inmates at a time, the facility was built primarily to house alleged and convicted members of some of the country’s most notorious criminal organisations.
These include Mara Salvatrucha, commonly known as MS-13, and Barrio 18. Both gangs originated in Los Angeles in the United States before expanding their influence into El Salvador and other parts of Central America.
The groups have been linked to serious crimes, including extortion, drug trafficking and other violent criminal activities.
The prison’s vast size, strict security measures and ability to hold tens of thousands of inmates in one location have made it one of the most widely discussed detention facilities in the region.
The facility has become a symbol of El Salvador’s campaign against organised crime. However, mass arrests and the treatment of prisoners have also raised concerns among human rights organisations.
