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Venezuelan Detainees Allege Mistreatment at Guantánamo Bay

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Venezuelan Migrants Guantanamo Bay Detention Center

MAIQUETÍA, Venezuela — Two Venezuelan men recently deported from Guantánamo Bay allege they were mistreated during their detention, revealing disturbing conditions and a lack of legal representation.

The men, Mayfreed Durán Arapé and Yoiner Purroy Roldán, spoke with NPR about their experiences after being repatriated on February 20. They were detained at the U.S. naval base for nearly two weeks following their deportation from a facility in El Paso, Texas.

Upon waking at approximately 2:30 a.m. on February 8, Durán Arapé was told he would be sent back to Venezuela. However, they were taken to a U.S. military installation instead. Both men report being deprived of legal access and subjected to physical abuse during their time at Guantánamo.

Durán Arapé claims he was beaten by guards and attempted self-harm twice, providing photos to NPR depicting bruises and injuries sustained while in custody. “We got almost no food, and the water tasted weird,” Purroy Roldán recounted from Caracas, adding that they were allowed to shower only every three days, shackled as if they were criminals.

In a statement, Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, acknowledged their status as illegal entrants but firmly denied their allegations of mistreatment, stating they were provided access to phone calls for legal counsel.

However, Durán Arapé and Purroy Roldán expressed skepticism about their treatment. Court documents from a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) reveal that a significant number of detainees at Guantánamo did not possess criminal records, raising questions about the rationale behind their prolonged detention.

The ACLU’s Deputy Director Lee Gelernt criticized the conditions at Guantánamo, emphasizing that the base is notorious for its secrecy and lack of transparency. “Regardless of the conditions, we don’t believe that the government should be sending people to Guantánamo at all,” he asserted.

Both Durán Arapé and Purroy Roldán reported being shackled during transport and deprived of basic necessities on the flight to Guantánamo. They were not allowed phone calls with an attorney until their final day of detention.

On February 20, the men were finally deported, landing in Venezuela with a sense of relief despite their ordeal. “I felt like a bird leaving its cage. It felt like I was living again,” Durán Arapé remarked.

Despite their release, both men are grappling with the psychological aftermath of their experiences. Durán Arapé admitted to suffering from nightmares and stated his intention to seek mental health support upon returning home. “I’m angry because they violated my rights, I was discriminated against, and I was abused verbally and physically,” he shared.

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