A major investigative report by the CBS programme '60 Minutes' into a controversial Salvadoran mega-prison, where the Trump administration has deported individuals, was abruptly cancelled just before broadcast, with the journalist involved labelling the move a 'political' decision.
The Spiked Investigation
Veteran correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi had been investigating the Terrorism Confinement Centre (CECOT) in El Salvador. Her segment included interviews with inmates who had been sent to the facility after deportation from the United States.
According to Alfonsi, the story was fully vetted and cleared by CBS attorneys and the network's Standards and Practices division. However, just hours before it was scheduled to air, CBS News chief Bari Weiss ordered the segment to be pulled.
In a leaked email to colleagues, Alfonsi wrote, 'Our story was screened five times and cleared... It is factually correct. In my view, pulling it now... is not an editorial decision, it is a political one.' She warned that allowing an administration's refusal to participate to kill a story handed them a dangerous 'kill switch' for inconvenient reporting.
Contrasting Reasons and Prison Allegations
CBS issued a statement claiming the segment required 'additional reporting' and would air at a later date. Bari Weiss defended her decision, stating the story did not 'advance the ball' and required a greater effort to include the Trump administration's perspective. This was despite the reporting team's claims of multiple unanswered requests for comment.
The spiked report, which has since appeared online, contained serious allegations from within CECOT. Inmates described widespread torture, beatings, and sexual abuse at the facility. The prison, opened in 2023 and capable of holding 40,000 inmates, is a cornerstone of President Nayib Bukele's crackdown on gangs.
Key conditions reported include:
- Cells holding 65-70 prisoners each.
- No visitation rights for inmates.
- No rehabilitation programmes, workshops, or educational schemes.
- Prisoners never see daylight, according to the report.
Broader Context: Deportations and Human Rights Concerns
The story intersects directly with US immigration policy. Former President Donald Trump has already deported alleged members of the Venezuelan criminal group Tren de Aragua to CECOT, following an offer from President Bukele. Trump reinvoked the historic Alien Enemies Act to facilitate such actions, a law last used extensively during World War Two.
Human rights groups have repeatedly raised alarms about El Salvador's prison system during the state of emergency. The organisation Cristosal reported that at least 261 people died in Salvadoran prisons during the gang crackdown last summer, citing abuse, torture, and denial of medical care.
The cancellation of the '60 Minutes' report has ignited a fierce debate about editorial independence and the influence of political pressure on major news networks, leaving unanswered questions about the full extent of conditions within the CECOT facility.
