President Bukele Threatens to Send Gang Members to Paris Fashion Week
parijs, maandag, 30 juni 2025.
President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador has reacted strongly to a Paris Fashion Week show that depicts prisoners from his country. Designer Willy Chavarria’s show featured tattooed men in white T-shirts and shorts, kneeling, which resembles the treatment of prisoners in the Cecot prison. Bukele accuses the show of glorifying criminals and jokes that he will send the prisoners to Paris. This incident highlights the complex relationship between fashion and criminality and raises questions about the ethical boundaries of artistic expression.
Bukele’s Response to Paris Fashion Week
President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador responded sharply to a show during Paris Fashion Week that depicted prisoners from his country. The show by designer Willy Chavarria featured tattooed men in white T-shirts and shorts, kneeling, which strongly resembles the treatment of prisoners in the Cecot prison. Bukele accused the show of glorifying criminals and joked that he would send the prisoners to Paris as soon as he gets the green light from the French government [1][3][5].
Context of the Show
Willy Chavarria, a Mexican-American designer, presented a show in Paris on Friday featuring 35 tattooed men kneeling, dressed in white T-shirts and shorts. This posture and attire strongly resemble those of prisoners in the Cecot, the heavily secured mega-prison in El Salvador that President Bukele built to detain gang members. Among the prisoners are also 252 Venezuelans who were deported by the United States [2][4][5].
Bukele’s Criticism
Bukele responded on X with a message criticising the show: ‘This is what happens when you glorify criminals in Paris. He who spares the wolf sacrifices the sheep.’ He shared a video of a young woman saying she is afraid to live in Paris, without further explanation. His message was later shared by Elon Musk, the owner of X, Tesla, and SpaceX [1][3][5].
Impact and Reactions
Bukele’s statement has attracted international attention and raised questions about the relationship between fashion and criminality. Human rights organisations have sharply criticised the detention of the Venezuelans in the Cecot. The administration of US President Donald Trump accused them of involvement with the criminal gang Tren de Aragua, without providing evidence. Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and local aid organisations report that among the 87,000 prisoners, thousands are innocent. They are accused of gang membership or complicity without evidence. They also report that prisoners are tortured and that approximately 400 people have died in the prison [1][2][4][5].
State of Emergency and Anti-Gang Policy
Bukele is very popular due to his fight against gangs. The ‘state of emergency’ he imposed in March 2022 to combat these gangs, however, is condemned by humanitarian groups. This state of emergency allows arrests without a judicial warrant. Thanks to his anti-gang crackdown, the murder rate in El Salvador has decreased by almost 70% in 2023 [2][4][5].
Artistic Expression and Ethical Boundaries
Chavarria’s show was a powerful political statement that drew attention to the treatment of prisoners and the dehumanisation of immigrants. The collection, named ‘Huron’, was inspired by Chavarria’s hometown in California’s Central Valley and his Chicano heritage. The show began with 35 men in white T-shirts and shorts, kneeling on the catwalk, to emphasise the dehumanisation of immigrants. Chavarria used bold colours and materials to challenge corporate and incarceration tropes, drawing influences from films by Pedro Almodóvar and Wong Kar-wai [4][6].