The government of Eswatini has confirmed the repatriation of a Jamaican national, Orville Isaac Etoria, who had been deported from the United States under former President Donald Trump’s hardline immigration policy.
Etoria was among five foreign nationals transferred to Eswatini in July after U.S. authorities labeled them “barbaric” criminals. The group was held in solitary confinement at a maximum-security prison in Mbabane, the country’s administrative capital.
According to acting government spokesperson Thabile Mdluli, Etoria departed Mbabane on Saturday and arrived in Jamaica the following day. The repatriation was conducted quietly, with no prior public announcement.
“Engagements with the other four immigrants are currently ongoing, with a view to repatriating them to their respective countries,” Mdluli told AFP.
The remaining detainees include nationals of Laos, Vietnam, and Cuba. Their legal representatives have alleged they have been denied access to their clients.
Human rights activists have strongly criticized Eswatini’s acceptance of the deportees, calling the arrangement unconstitutional due to the lack of transparency. Public anger has also sparked protests outside the U.S. embassy in Mbabane.
Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, is a small landlocked monarchy bordered by South Africa and Mozambique. The country has been ruled by King Mswati III since 1986. The 57-year-old monarch is often accused of human rights abuses and criticized for his extravagant lifestyle.
