A journalistic bombshell intended for American television found an unexpected audience north of the border. The "60 Minutes" segment investigating the El Salvador prison where the Trump administration sent deportees was pulled from its scheduled U.S. broadcast but was briefly streamed in Canada on December 23, 2025.
The 13-minute report, titled "Inside CECOT," was accessible via the Global Television app before being removed from circulation. However, its temporary availability was long enough for viewers to rip and share the video online, where it spread rapidly across platforms like Reddit, X, and Bluesky.
The Content That Sparked Controversy
The segment, reported by Sharyn Alfonsi, featured harrowing accounts from Venezuelan deportees held at the Center for Confinement of Terrorism (CECOT). These individuals, sent to the facility under Trump-era policies, described enduring physical and sexual abuse.
One interview subject, college student Luis Munoz Pinto, recounted being told by the CECOT director, "Welcome to hell. I'll make sure you never leave." Munoz Pinto was among 252 Venezuelans deported to the prison in the spring of 2025 while awaiting a decision on his U.S. asylum claim. The report also included comments from former President Donald Trump praising the "very strong" facility and footage of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's visit in March.
Why Was the Segment Pulled?
The report was slated to air on CBS's "60 Minutes" on Sunday but was spiked on the orders of editor-in-chief Bari Weiss. Weiss defended the decision, citing a need for more material and a lack of response from the Trump administration within the reporting.
This justification was met with criticism from reporter Sharyn Alfonsi, who stated the piece had been screened five times and cleared by both CBS's legal team and its standards and practices department. Alfonsi labeled the move to pull the segment as "political." The version that streamed in Canada was the finalized Friday cut, delivered early to affiliates like Global TV before Weiss changed her mind on Saturday morning.
Reaction and Viral Aftermath
The leak ignited a firestorm online, with political commentators urging the public to watch and share the video before it disappeared. American political critic George Conway proclaimed on X, "This could wind up being the most-watched newsmagazine segment in television history!!"
The incident highlights the complex cross-border nature of media distribution and the potent force of digital sharing when controversial content is suppressed. While CBS News halted the segment's official U.S. broadcast, its brief availability in Canada ensured the report's findings reached a global audience, sparking widespread discussion about journalistic independence and the policies it aimed to scrutinize.
