The regime of Nicolás Maduro has launched a wave of online accusations targeting El Salvador, claiming the country is complicit in a U.S.-backed scheme involving the detention of Venezuelan migrants.

Alfredo Ruiz Angulo, Venezuela’s Ombudsman and a vocal supporter of the Maduro government, stated during a televised interview that “the kidnapping of Venezuelan migrants in El Salvador was the result of complicity between Nayib Bukele and Donald Trump.” According to Ruiz, both administrations allegedly entered into an agreement to detain Venezuelan nationals in Salvadoran territory in exchange for financial compensation—supposedly at a lower cost than U.S. private prisons.

Ruiz argued that “this was a profitable operation for both governments,” and compared it to past instances in which Venezuelan migrants were lured abroad with false promises, only to end up exploited by human trafficking networks. However, he emphasized that “in this case, the structure was operated by two States, not independent criminal groups.”

He further blamed the United States for over a thousand unilateral sanctions imposed on Venezuela, which he claims have triggered the country’s massive exodus. “These sanctions have blocked access to medical supplies and frozen already approved donations,” he added, portraying Venezuelan migrants as victims criminalized abroad, despite “less than 1% facing legal prosecution.”

The Venezuelan government’s narrative has circulated heavily on social media platforms in recent days, sparking concern about the use of disinformation as a geopolitical tool. Neither the Salvadoran government nor U.S. officials have responded publicly to these claims at the time of publication.