Rubio Says Migrants in Guantánamo Were “Worse” Than Al Qaeda

Rubio: Migrants in Guantánamo were “worse” than Al Qaeda

Reported by EFE

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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio sparked controversy on Thursday by stating that the migrants temporarily sent to the Guantánamo Bay military base were “worse” than the Al Qaeda members previously held there.

The remarks were made during a press conference in Guyana, where Rubio is currently on a diplomatic tour of the Caribbean.

“The Marines at Guantánamo said these are some of the toughest individuals they’ve ever dealt with.

They were worse than the Al Qaeda members held in those prisons,” said Rubio, justifying the transfer of migrants to the controversial U.S. base in Cuba.

Rubio: Migrants in Guantánamo Were “Worse” Than Al Qaeda

Migrants sent to Guantánamo were «worse» than those from Al Qaeda: Marco Rubio https://t.co/frpukrhss7

– Vive USA (@vive_usa) March 27, 2025

According to the Secretary of State, most of the migrants in Guantánamo were Venezuelan nationals who had been accused by the U.S. of involvement in criminal activities, including gang affiliation.

Rubio argued that the decision to send them to Guantánamo or El Salvador came in response to the refusal of the Venezuelan government, led by Nicolás Maduro, to accept the return of its nationals at that time.

“We had to find a place to send them, especially those with criminal records or strong evidence and suspicion of illegal activities,” Rubio explained.

Since February, a total of 1,118 Venezuelans have been repatriated in five flights to their home country.
Among them, 176 individuals had previously been detained at the U.S. military base in Guantánamo, according to official figures.

Marco Rubio Mentions Agreement with El Salvador and Legal Guarantees

Marco Rubio says migrants detained in Guantánamo were «worse» than those from Al Qaeda https://t.co/cnouoer3oj

— Monitoreamos (@monitoreamos) March 27, 2025

Marco Rubio was also questioned during the press conference about the agreement with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele regarding the imprisonment of migrants identified as gang members.

He stated that El Salvador is meeting “all international incarceration standards” and defended the transfer, asserting that the individuals sent to that country were involved in criminal activity.

“Each and every one of them was subject to deportation from the U.S., including MS-13 members, many of whom are Salvadoran,” Rubio said, reiterating that the transfers were necessary to protect national security.

He also left the door open for sending more migrants to El Salvador in the future, depending on that government’s willingness to accept deportees. “We thank them for the opportunity to do so,” he added.

Warning to Venezuela and Regional Tensions

Marco Rubio compares Guantánamo migrants to terrorist group Al Qaeda https://t.co/juee7kzmrb

– La Patilla (@la_patilla) March 27, 2025

During his visit to Guyana, Rubio also issued a stern warning to the Venezuelan government.

He cautioned that any military aggression against Guyana or the U.S. company ExxonMobil would be a “major mistake.”

“It would be a very bad day for the Venezuelan regime if it attacked Guyana or ExxonMobil. A very bad day, a very bad week for them — and it would not end well.”

Marco Rubio’s comments suggest that the United States is prepared to take action if military tensions escalate in the region.

Marco Rubio’s Next Stop: Suriname

Rubio’s Caribbean diplomatic tour will continue in Suriname, where he is scheduled to meet with President Chandrikapersad Santokhi.

His statements—particularly regarding migrants and Venezuela—have sparked intense international debate.

The global community continues to closely watch the fallout from these immigration policies and rising geopolitical tensions in the region.

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