Key facts
- Activist Beto Coral was arrested and detained in the US for over 30 days.
- Coral had been protesting against Abelardo de la Espriella, a Colombian presidential candidate endorsed by Donald Trump.
- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a memo to the Department of Homeland Security alleging Coral conducted political activity.
- Coral alleges mistreatment, including assault and solitary confinement, during his detention.
- Coral agreed to voluntary departure from the US.
- Nine Democratic members of Congress called for Coral's release, citing human rights violations.
Beto Coral, a Colombian activist residing in the US, was arrested and detained for over 30 days after protesting against Abelardo de la Espriella, a presidential candidate endorsed by Donald Trump. Coral alleges he was mistreated during his detention, including assault and solitary confinement, before agreeing to voluntary departure back to Colombia.
The activist had travelled to Miami to campaign against De la Espriella, warning Colombians in the US that the candidate would facilitate their deportation. The following day, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a memo to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) alleging Coral was conducting political activity against a Colombian presidential candidate. Hours later, Coral was arrested.
Coral, whose full name is Franklin Humberto Coral Garrido, claims his detention was at the request of De la Espriella, who subsequently won the Colombian presidential election. Coral had no criminal record and had been living in the US for over 10 years, having entered on a tourist visa in December 2015 and applied for political asylum in March 2016 due to death threats in Colombia related to his investigation into his father's murder. He had legal status and a work permit throughout his asylum application process.
During his detention, Coral reported being transferred multiple times between facilities across four states, experiencing prolonged journeys without food or water, and physical abuse from ICE officers. A DHS spokesperson described him as an "illegal alien" who had overstayed his visa. Nine Democratic members of Congress sent a letter to Rubio demanding Coral's release, citing human rights and free speech violations. His lawyer, Elizabeth Shaw, argued he was detained without facing immigration charges and that the incoming government posed a threat to his life.
De la Espriella had previously engaged in legal disputes with Coral, representing former president Álvaro Uribe Vélez in a defamation lawsuit against Coral. De la Espriella also posted on social media about "good news for patriotic Colombians abroad" on the day of Coral's arrest, which Coral interpreted as prior knowledge of his detention. US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau had previously warned on social media that those attempting to "undermine or manipulate the democratic process" risked their visas, referring to himself as "the visa taker".
After his release, Coral briefly returned to Colombia and warned the then-president Petro that he could be the next to face US arrest. He has since left Colombia again and is uncertain of his next destination, stating the US is "the worst place in the world for any immigrant". He expressed paradox regarding Rubio, a Latino and son of immigrants, persecuting another immigrant.