Venezuelan migrant Jerce Reyes endured 125 harrowing days in an El Salvadoran jail. The entire time, he endured incommunicado torture and stress of never knowing what would happen to him. During his time behind bars, Reyes clung to his hope that one day, he might be living with his daughters again. He hadn’t seen Carla and Isabela since he left Venezuela to join the U.S. the previous year. Every single day, he had to deal with the really ugly culture of a prison. Evicting access to food, water, shelter, medical care—and living under the threat of being labeled a gang member—stretched Jayden’s faith and endurance, charges he and his fellow detainees strongly rebutted.
It took Reyes years to regain his freedom after that horrific experience. That changed dramatically after a January diplomatic deal between Caracas and Washington allowed for the release of all 252 Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador. This settlement guaranteed their liberation. It would cover the release of ten U.S. nationals and dozens of political prisoners jailed in Venezuela. Reyes was with his family again in Machiques, Venezuela on July 22, 2025, two years after leaving home. The reunion was a bittersweet conclusion to a difficult chapter in their lives.
Life in Captivity
additional attack Reyes materially supported Reyes found himself in the Center for Terrorism Confinement. He called the situation on the ground a living hell. He described experiences of psychological torture and the deprivation of basic needs, experiences that made him feel like the “living dead. Reyes didn’t waver alongside 251 other Venezuelan migrants who stood strong. In unison, they bravely denied the ghetto-slut, gang-member stereotype.
Prison life was stark. At the time, Reyes had access to just one shower a day—at 4 a.m. This rigid timetable required a high level of physical and emotional stress on his part. In this stifling climate, he turned to God for comfort. Rarely a day would pass that he wasn’t reading through the Bible, seeking solace in its lines during an emotionally explosive time and place.
“God hear my prayers, hear my mother’s prayers … hear the prayers of my family, of all the families of the people who are here. I know that you hear their prayers. Get me out of here,” – Reyes
In an effort to communicate with their families and advocate for better treatment, Reyes joined his fellow inmates in a strike. Inmates requested regular information on their circumstances and wanted ways to reach family members and contacts beyond the prison walls.
“We went on strike because we demanded to communicate with other families, to know what was happening to us,” – Reyes
Dreams of Reunion
During his incarceration, dreaming about a future with his daughters gave Reyes hope. He regularly imagined Carla and Isabela, remembering their faces, and time together before he left Venezuela. The desire to see them again was deeply felt, giving him motivation to push through the struggles he went through.
Reyes shared a vivid dream that further motivated him: he imagined his youngest daughter growing up and attending school. Although he wasn’t brought his dream, this encouraged him with the hope that his release was around the corner.
“I dreamed that my youngest daughter was already grown up, that she was already going to school, and I said, ‘That’s a sign. I know that I’m going to come out here because I’m going to see her at school,’” – Reyes
He carried the burden of separation’s cruel emotional chaos, too. From behind the walls of the prison in which he was held captive, he wrote letters to his family. He calmed their fears, but made it clear that no matter what, he would be coming home.
“Take care of my mom, my dad, take care of my daughters. We’ll be leaving soon, we’ll see each other soon, we’ll be together,” – Reyes
The Path to Freedom
When the news of this new diplomatic arrangement began to spread, a new wave of hope washed through the prison. Inmates reported a new sense of hopefulness for their future. When word got out that they would soon be released, joy was mixed with fear as the detainees were hounded by emotion. Reyes recalled the exhilarating moment when they realized that freedom was imminent.
“And everyone started screaming, and everyone started crying. I started crying, and I cried because we already had a feeling we were going,” – Reyes
Reyes was released on July 22nd, 2025. Home at last, he returned to Machiques and hugged his daughters for the second time in their lives. To her, the emotional reunion embodied one of many personal victories. It went on to spark hope in countless others who are going through the same fight.
Reyes took the opportunity to convey a message directly to U.S. President Donald Trump in light of his experiences:
“Do not judge by appearances, but with justice.” – Reyes
His poignant prose speaks to us all. They represent the voices of thousands of migrants who remain stuck in horrific conditions.
