In the backdrop, one could see the pool furniture. The scene also featured tropical drinks, presumably margaritas adorned with cherries. Seated and conversing were a deportee and an American senator.
That senator,
Chris Van Hollen
of
Maryland
, accused
El Salvador
On Friday, the government attempted to depict Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s wrongful deportation as a carefree break by arranging a meeting where beverages seemed to be alcoholic. They also positioned the encounter near a hotel swimming pool to create this impression.
Van Hollen described the stagecraft using a phrase that had been circulating on social media all day: “Margaritagate.”
“Nobody drank any margaritas or sugar water or whatever it is,” the Democratic senator said, calling the whole situation “a lesson” in “the lengths that President Bukele will do to deceive people about what’s going on.”
An individual from El Salvador named Abrego Garcia, who resided in Maryland, was deported to El Salvador by the Trump administration in March, even though an immigration court had issued an order halting his removal.
U.S. President
Donald Trump
and El Salvador’s president,
Nayib Bukele
said this week that they see no reason to send him back to the United States, despite the Trump administration labeling his deportation an error and the U.S. Supreme Court urging the administration to help facilitate his return.
At a press briefing held on Friday at Dulles International Airport shortly after returning from El Salvador, the Maryland Democrat stated that Bukele is attempting to “mislead” individuals regarding the events of their meeting with Abrego Garcia. This misleading behavior includes sharing an image featuring beverages that appear to be alcoholic in nature.
Initially, when he and Abrego Garcia met at the hotel previously occupied by Van Hollen, the senator mentioned that all they had on the table were “glasses of water, perhaps some coffee as well.”
Afterward, Van Hollen stated, “one of the government officials” during the edges of their thirty-minute discussion placed additional drinks on the table, topped with salt or sugar — “however, they resemble margaritas.”
On this particular Thursday evening, Bukele shared images of Van Hollen sitting alongside Abrego Garcia, featuring glasses adorned with maraschino cherries.
“Kilmar Abrego Garcia, astonishingly freed from ‘death camps’ and ‘torment,’ is now enjoying margaritas alongside Senator Van Hollen in the idyllic setting of El Salvador!” Bukele posted, accompanied by an emoji of a tropical beverage.
Van Hollen additionally pointed out that the Bukele administration first suggested hosting him and Abrego Garcia for their discussion by the swimming pool at the hotel instead of choosing the restaurant area where they ultimately met.
Van Hollen stated, “They aim to project an image that life was delightful for Kilmar.”
In Friday’s news conference, Van Hollen also revealed that Abrego Garcia told him that he was no longer being held at the high-security Terrorism Confinement Center, or CECOT, where he and others were initially taken upon leaving the U.S. Van Hollen said he was initially denied entry to the facility but surmised Friday that had been because Abrego Garcia had already been moved from there to a detention center with better conditions.
Van Hollen stated that they concluded detaining Abrego Garcia without allowing anyone to see him did not present well. He further mentioned that Abrego Garcia informed him he hadn’t been in touch with anyone outside of prison since his removal from the U.S.
It remained uncertain where Abrego Garcia was taken following his meeting with Van Hollen.
As Van Hollen talked about Abrego Garcia’s desire to converse with his wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura wept quietly beside him. She remained silent throughout the press briefing.
___
Kinnard can be contacted at
http://x.com/MegKinnardAP
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