Mystery 'mound' spotted at El Salvador prison sparks conspiracy theories (2025)

Concerns have been raised after satellite images revealed a large dirt mound on the grounds of a brutal El Salvadorian prison.

Reddit conspiracy theorists are pointing out a mysterious ‘mound’ in Google Earth images from March of this year at the Center for Terrorism Confinement.

Since March,ElSalvadorhas accepted more than 200 Venezuelan immigrants from the US – whom Trump administration officials have accused of gang activity and violent crimes.

They’ve been placed in the country’s notorious maximum-security gang prison just outside the capital, SanSalvador.

Sharing the satellite images from Google Maps, a Redditor said: ‘This was posted in another group, but I wanted to share here as well.

‘Apple Maps has blurred these, but Google is still live. Tired and true death camp they’ve got there.’

One Redditor claimed: ‘I don’t think people realize how brutal El Salvador is. At the very least, they are torturing them. That’s why El Salvador was chosen.’

It’s unclear what the mound of dirt is being used for – as the operations of the prison are entirely indoors.

The satellite images were shared online just days after Donald Trump’s top advisers and the president ofElSalvadorsaid they have no basis for the Central American nation to return a Maryland man who was wrongly deported there last month.

Trump administration officials emphasised that Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was sent to a notorious gang prison inElSalvador, was a citizen of that country and that the US has no say in his future.

President Nayib Bukele, who has been a vital partner for the Trump administration in its deportation efforts, said, ‘Of course I’m not going to,’ when asked if he would release Mr Garcia back to US soil.

‘The question is preposterous,’ Bukele said. ‘How can I smuggle a terrorist into the United States? I don’t have the power to return him to the United States.’

CECOT has drawn praise from hardline law-and-order politicians and despair from human rights organisations.

Bukele ordered the construction of ‘Latin America’s biggest prison’ as he launched his purge against El Salvador’s gangs – including the dreaded MS-13 and Barrio 18 – in early 2022.

It opened a year later in the town of Tecoluca, around 45 miles east of the capital San Salvador.

Able to hold 40,000 inmates – nearly half the entire UK prison population – the CECOT is made up of eight sprawling pavilions.

Its cells hold 65 to 70 prisoners each. None receive visits.

There are no programs preparing them to return to society after their sentences, no workshops or educational programs. They will never see daylight again.

The exceptions are occasional motivational talks from prisoners who have gained a level of trust from prison officials.

Prisoners sit in rows in the corridor outside their cells for the talks or are led through exercise regimens under the supervision of guards.

Bukele’s justice minister has said that those held would never return to their communities.

The prison’s dining halls, break rooms, gym and board games are for guards.

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