Trump Administration Moves to Dismiss Charges Against MS-13 Leader Amid Alleged Political Deal with El Salvador

The Trump administration is seeking to drop criminal charges against Vladimir Antonio Arevalo-Chavez, a senior MS-13 leader, to facilitate his deportation to El Salvador. Court records reveal that Arevalo-Chavez possesses detailed knowledge of a 2019 agreement between Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele and MS-13, which allegedly involved financial and territorial concessions in exchange for gang support during elections. Critics argue that the dismissal of charges is an effort to prevent Arevalo-Chavez from testifying about the pact, potentially shielding Bukele’s administration from scrutiny.
The move aligns with a broader agreement between the Trump and Bukele administrations, allowing the U.S. to incarcerate immigrants in a Salvadoran maximum-security prison, Cecot. Similar actions have been taken with other MS-13 leaders, raising concerns about due process and the suppression of evidence.