Former Top Salvadoran Lawmaker Reportedly Awaiting Deportation From U.S. With Bukele's Alleged Deals With Gangs Under Scrutiny

Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele has been widely credited for reducing violence in the Central American country, especially after cracking down on local gangs and imprisoning tens of thousands of alleged members.

However, different reports are pointing to a more obscure move to reach that scenario: dealings with those gangs. The latest piece of such information comes from USA Today, which reported that a former president of the country's national assembly who is familiar with gang negotiations was seized by U.S. agents in March and awaits for deportation.

The news joins recent reports regarding the matter, which claim that the Trump administration is helping Bukele retrieve gang leaders so they don't reveal their dealings before U.S. courts.

The Guardian also reported this week that the Trump administration is seeking to quickly dismiss charges against a top MS-13 leader with this purpose. The man in question is Vladimir Antonio Arevalo-Chavez, who stands accused of racketeering, terrorism and conspiring to commit narco-terrorism.

The outlet noted that a filing from the Justice Department seeks to dismiss charges against him for "sensitive and important foreign policy considerations." The defendant is still in the country and his attorneys are asking for more information about the reason for the decision.

"The 'geopolitical and national security concerns' appear to be an effort by the government to support a 'deal' with El Salvador to assist Bukele in suppressing the truth about a secret negotiation he had with MS-13 leaders in return for our government using El Salvador prisons," said the alleged gang members' attorneys in a filing.

His case is not the first. Earlier this month, a judge dismissed charges brought against Henry Villatoro Santos, also accused of being a gang leader.

Villatoro Santos' attorneys questioned the DOJ back then, with Muhammad Elsayed calling it an "unusual case." He added that the court had to determine whether the motion "was made in good faith" as the DOJ did not provide any "explanation whatsoever" for withdrawing the charges.

CNN reported in April that the Bukele administration specifically asked for nine MS-13 leaders to be brought back to the country. In exchange his government offered the Trump administration a 50% discount in the fee it charges for holding suspected gang members at its infamous mega-prison, known as CECOT.