Since January 2023, 14 Brazilian politicians, including deputies and a governor, have visited El Salvador to tour the Cecot prison, inspired by Nayib Bukele's security policies. These trips cost at least R$407,200 in public funds. The facility is praised by visitors but criticized for torture allegations and mass incarceration.
The Center for the Confinement of Terrorism (Cecot), inaugurated in January 2023 in El Salvador, has drawn 14 Brazilian politicians interested in President Nayib Bukele's public security approach. Of these, 12 are federal deputies, one is a senator, and one is a governor. The visits, totaling at least R$407,200 in public spending, occurred in organized delegations.
The first trip, in December 2023, included former deputy Eduardo Bolsonaro (PL-SP), Ubiratan Sanderson (PL-RS), Capitão Alden (PL-BA), Coronel Assis (União Brasil-MT), and Delegada Ione (Avante-MG). Each spent about R$9,300 on lodging and R$9,860 on flights. Osmar Terra (PL-RS) and Alexandre Ramagem (PL-RJ) also joined, with Terra using office funds.
In 2025, a second delegation brought Paulo Bilynskyj (PL-SP), Padovani (União Brasil-PR), Delegado Marcelo Freitas (União Brasil-MG), Delegado Fabio Costa (PP-AL), Nikolas Ferreira (PL-MG), and Coronel Assis again. Eduardo and Flávio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ) joined, with costs of R$10,600 per lodging and R$6,873 per flight. Governor Romeu Zema (Novo-MG) visited in May 2024, spending R$197,000 from state funds, but did not go to Cecot.
Bukele gained popularity by dismantling gangs like MS-13 and Barrio 18, under a state of exception since March 2022. El Salvador has 1,659 inmates per 100,000 inhabitants in 2024, with 109,519 prisoners—1.7% of the population. Organizations like Cristosal denounce torture and detention of innocents.
Brazilian politicians praised the model. "I have visited numerous prisons in Brazil and confess I do not know any that have better hygiene, food, and health conditions," said Sanderson. Alden defended: "The cost of a technical visit is negligible compared to the cost of violence in Brazil." Zema suggested a Cecot version in the Amazon. However, Minas Gerais government stated Zema's trip was technical and did not address local penal procedures.
The Cecot prison, toured by Folha in December, has cells for 80 people and security with military checkpoints, but is criticized for screening failures and conditions violating human rights.
