Venezuela blasts 'illegal' US deportations under wartime law

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's government on Sunday blasted the U.S. implementation of a rarely used wartime law, rapidly blocked by a U.S. judge, to deport over 200 alleged members of Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua to El Salvador.

"Venezuela rejects the application of an anachronistic law, illegal and in violation of human rights, against our migrants," Venezuela's government said in a statement, adding its "profound indignation at the threat of kidnapping 14-year-old children."

El Salvador's presidential office did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment and it was not immediately clear what charges the alleged gang members face in El Salvador, or whether children are part of the group.

El Salvador President Nayib Bukele said in a post on X early on Sunday that it had received the first 238 alleged members of Tren de Aragua, and they had been immediately transferred to a terrorism detention center for a period of one year, subject to renewal.

This was a day after the Associated Press reported, citing an internal memo, that the United States would pay El Salvador $6 million for the arrangement.

"The United States will pay a very low fee for them, but a high one for us," Bukele said in the post, adding that the country had also sent 23 members of the Salvadoran gang MS-13.

Venezuela's government called on the international community, especially the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), to mobilize against what it called a dangerous precedent against the entire region.

(Reporting by Vivian Sequera in Caracas; Writing by Sarah Morland; Editing by Mark Porter)