Marco Rubio Thanks El Salvador's President for Allowing Deported Alleged Gang Members Into Its Mega-Prison: 'A Great Friend of the US'

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio joined a chorus of Trump administration leaders thanking El Salvadorian President Nayib Bukele for taking in more than 200 alleged Venezuelan gang members.

"We have sent 2 dangerous top MS-13 leaders plus 21 of its most wanted back to face justice in El Salvador," Rubio stated in an X post shared Sunday, shortly after news of the deportations was confirmed by Bukele.

"Also, as promised by @POTUS, we sent over 250 alien enemy members of Tren de Aragua which El Salvador has agreed to hold in their very good jails at a fair price that will also save our taxpayer dollars," he continued.

The Trump administration will pay $6 million for El Salvador to hold the prisoners in its Terrorism Confinement Center, the country's 40,000-inmate "mega-prison," the Epoch Times reported. Bukele deemed the payment "very low" for the U.S., but a "high one" for his own country in an X post shared Sunday.

"President @nayibbukele is not only the strongest security leader in our region, he's also a great friend of the U.S. Thank you!" Rubio added.

El Salvador took in 238 alleged members of Venezuela's Tren de Aragua and 23 alleged members of MS-13, fulfilling part of a controversial deal between the country's president and the Trump administration. It marks the first time El Salvador has accepted deported "criminal" immigrants from the U.S.

Bukele confirmed the transfer in a video shared to X. In it, prisoners were seen exiting a plane with handcuffs and leg shackles, getting their heads shaven and entering prison cells.