When José, a Venezuelan migrant who was looking for asylum in the United States, was aroused by an immigration and customs’ immigration official at 2:30 am from the February 8, he felt that he was being sent to Guantanam American soil.
“When we get to [military] Plane, they put restrictions on our hands, feet and waist, “said José, who requested that his last name is not used for fear of compensation.” They looked for us and then sat in a chair, sticking to him and joining our feet. We hope it would not be Guantanamo, but in the end, that’s where we end up. “
José is one of the more than 170 migrants who spent two weeks at the Naval Base before being sent to Venezuela. He told ABC News that, although he was suspected that they were sending him to Guantanamo, he says that US officials never told him or the other migrants where they were being sent.
“Our minds were running, thinking that we were kidnapped, asking us who would get us out of there,” said José. “Because nobody tells you anything.”
José told ABC News that he had traveled to the northern border of Mexico to wait for an asylum appointment that he requested through the application of customs and border protection of the USA. UU., Before the Trump administration closed it. After three weeks of waiting and “without food or a place to stay,” he decided to surrender to the authorities on the southern border of the United States. He was arrested in a detention center until he was transferred to Guantanamo.
ABC News spoke with José and another detainee of Guantanamo, Jhoan Bastidas Paz, in Spanish, and reviewed the judicial testimonies of three other detainees about his experience in the naval base before being released. They allege American officials transferred them to Guantanamo despite the fact that they had no criminal record, several already claim that they were denied phone calls with their lawyers and relatives despite the repeated demands.
“From the moment we were there, we tried to kick the doors, we follow innumerable attacks,” said José. “We love toilets and protest, cover the cameras because confinement is unbearable.”
The main door in the Guantanamo prison in the Naval Guantanamo base in the USA, October 16, 2018, at the Guantanamo base, Cuba.
Sylvie Lanteaume/AFP through Getty Images
José told ABC News that the room in which they placed it had “cobwebs and an unpleasant smell.” He said he spent 10 days without a mattress.
“They give you food … but it’s like they didn’t give you any, [it’s] Very little food, “said José.” A point came where the plate would lick. The food did not have salt, but I would still eat it as if it were very tasty, because I was hungry. “
José said that he and the other detainees were only allowed outside twice in two weeks and were denied telephone calls with their relatives and families.
“There are four cages outside,” said José. “That is the patio. You leave a room to go to another cell.”
Representatives of the Department of National Security did not respond to a request for comments from ABC News.
Bastidas Paz had been given to the authorities after crossing the southern border of the United States from Mexico in 2023. He was accused of “inappropriate entrance” to which he declared himself guilty, and was in a detention center in El Paso, Texas, until he was transferred to the Bay of Guantanamo.
Both José and Bastidas Paz told ABC News that they are not members of the Venezuelan Train of Aragua gang, despite the fact that the United States government says they are.
“We are not from Aragua’s train or anything, we are not criminals, we are immigrants,” said Bastidas Paz. He said the authorities never told him they were sending him to Guantanamo and then to Venezuela.
“I do not think it is fair that they are taking us there, thus, with lies, because we are practically being taken there, kidnapped, without telling us anything, and when we realize, they leave us there, and I do not think it is fair,” said Bastidas Paz.
Bastidas Paz told ABC News that he went hungry strike with other detainees while demanding information from officials. He also states that he was only allowed to shower three times during the time he was in Guantanamo.
“We are immigrants and we have not committed any crime to be taken to that very ugly prison,” said Bastidas Paz.
José said he has not been able to sleep since he arrived in Venezuela.
“I have not slept at all because of the fear that I would fall asleep and … I would get up there,” he told Abc News. “That is the terror I feel.”
