A Cuban national, deported from the United States to Eswatini, a small nation in southern Africa, has initiated a hunger strike while detained in a maximum-security prison. He has been jailed for over three months without charges or legal representation, as reported by his U.S.-based attorney on Wednesday.
Roberto Mosquera del Peral is among five individuals sent to Eswatini in mid-July under a controversial third-country deportation scheme established by the Trump administration. This initiative has faced severe criticism from human rights organizations, which accuse the U.S. of undermining due process and exposing deportees to potential abuse and arbitrary detention.
In a statement to The Associated Press, Mosquera's lawyer, Alma David, revealed that her client has been on a hunger strike for a week and his health is rapidly declining. “My client is being held unlawfully, and his life is now at risk,” she asserted. The statement calls on Eswatini's prison services to disclose Mosquera's condition and ensure he receives proper medical care. David also demands that Mosquera be allowed to meet with his legal counsel.
A government spokesperson from Eswatini directed media inquiries to the prison authorities, who have yet to respond.
Mosquera, alongside other men from Cuba, Jamaica, Laos, Vietnam, and Yemen, was deported, as initially reported by the Spanish newspaper El País. Although the Jamaican national was sent back home last month, the others have been held at Matsapha Prison near Mbabane, the capital, for over three months, according to AP.
A local lawyer has filed a lawsuit in Eswatini courts to ensure these foreign nationals receive legal representation, and civil groups are questioning the legitimacy of their incarceration. The African nation, under absolute monarchy rule, has been criticized internationally for suppressing political and civil freedoms.
Local authorities claim the men will eventually be repatriated, but no specific timeline has been provided. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that the deportees had been convicted of serious crimes, such as murder and rape, labeling Mosquera as a gang member. However, attorneys argue these men have already served their sentences in the U.S. and that their current detention lacks legal justification.
The DHS defends the third-country deportation program as an "effective tool" for removing undocumented immigrants, offering them the choice of self-deportation or relocation to countries willing to accept them. Human Rights Watch reports that the U.S. has spent millions to persuade African governments to take in deportees. Documents show Washington agreed to pay $5.1 million to Eswatini for up to 160 people and $7.5 million to Rwanda for up to 250.
Since July, deportees have also been sent to South Sudan, Rwanda, and Ghana under largely undisclosed agreements. This month, an additional ten foreigners from Vietnam, Cambodia, the Philippines, Cuba, Chad, Ethiopia, and Congo were transferred to Eswatini, where they remain in the same prison. Lawyers for the detainees report that the men have been unable to meet with legal representatives in Eswatini, and their phone calls to U.S. lawyers are monitored by prison authorities. The current health status of the prisoners is unknown.
“The extreme measures taken by my client highlight the desperation and suffering they endure,” attorney Alma David remarked. “The U.S. and Eswatini governments must be held accountable for the human consequences of their agreement,” she stated.
Key Questions on U.S. Deportations to Eswatini
Why was Roberto Mosquera deported to Eswatini?
Roberto Mosquera was deported to Eswatini under a U.S. program that sends deportees to third countries. The Trump administration initiated this controversial scheme, which has been criticized for violating due process.
What are the conditions faced by deportees in Eswatini?
Deportees in Eswatini, like Mosquera, are reportedly held in maximum-security prisons, often without charges or access to legal assistance, leading to severe human rights concerns.
How has the U.S. justified the deportation program to third countries?
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security argues that the program is an effective method for deporting undocumented immigrants, offering them a choice between self-deportation or relocation to accepting countries.