Allegations of a high-level cover-up are rocking both Washington and San Salvador as court documents reveal the Trump administration is moving to dismiss charges against Vladimir Antonio Arevalo-Chavez, a senior MS-13 leader, to deport him to El Salvador. Critics say this is a calculated maneuver to stop Arevalo-Chavez from testifying about a secret 2019 deal between President Nayib Bukele and MS-13, involving government money, territory, and political favors.
This deportation is reportedly tied to a broader agreement that lets the US send immigrants to El Salvador’s Cecot prison. Political scientist Michael Ahn Paarlberg has called it “collusion between two governments to cover up a gang pact.”
Arevalo-Chavez, who sits on MS-13’s board and faces serious federal charges, is believed to have key information about Bukele’s negotiations with the gang. The Justice Department’s justification—“foreign policy and national security concerns”—is seen by many as a thinly veiled excuse to protect Bukele’s reputation.
A similar case in March saw another MS-13 leader, Cesar Humberto López-Larios, deported after charges were dropped, suggesting a pattern of silencing potential witnesses.
Gang Pact Allegations: Trump and Bukele Accused of Shielding MS-13 Leaders
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