Pablo Torre Finds Out – "The Goalie Who Went to Hell and Back" (Dec 9, 2025)

Overview

In this gripping episode, Pablo Torre follows the harrowing journey of Herse Reyes—a Venezuelan professional soccer goalkeeper and youth coach who fled political turmoil, only to be disappeared by U.S. authorities and imprisoned in a notorious Salvadoran detention center. With correspondent Paola Ramos, the episode unpacks layers of geopolitics, Trump-era immigration policies, sports fandom, human rights abuse, and ultimately, resilience.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Disappearance and the "Goalie's Prayer"

• Opening Context (02:38–04:11)

  • Pablo recalls a previous episode that ended with uncertainty over Reyes' fate, contextualized by prayers from his youth soccer team in Matiques, Venezuela.
  • The team, boys under 12 at Peranero Football Club, prayed for their missing coach:

    “Guide him wherever he is. Help free him, liberate him, so he’s free.” (03:51, Paola Ramos)

• Why Did Reyes Leave? (05:10–05:30)

  • Venezuela’s ongoing turmoil: violence, dictatorship under Nicolas Maduro, and human rights abuses. Over 8 million have fled since 2015.

• The U.S. "Dream"—and Detention (06:21–07:41)

  • Reyes escapes Venezuela, legally seeks asylum at the U.S. border, and is detained—then shuffled from California to Texas, before suddenly vanishing.
  • Family members, including his young daughters and sister, are left in the dark:

    “His sister… says: ‘I love you.’ He says: ‘I love you too. I don't have much time to talk.’” (07:07–07:22, Pablo Torre & Paola Ramos)

Entering "Hell"—El Salvador’s Mega Prison

• From ICE to El Salvador’s Sekot Prison (07:41–08:12)

  • Reyes ends up in a maximum-security prison known as No Sekot Sicote, infamous for brutal conditions, called “El Infierno”—Hell.

    “No one knows what happens inside that place. It’s a place where they typically place criminals.” (08:12, Paola Ramos)

• Conditions and International Condemnation

  • Reports from Human Rights Watch and U.S. State Department mark life in Sekot as "life-threatening”—torture, violence, deaths (08:21–08:37).

How Did This Happen? Tattoos, Mistaken "Gang" Affiliation, and Political Calculus

• The Real Madrid Tattoo (14:38–17:28)

  • U.S. Homeland Security flagged Reyes' soccer tattoo and others as “gang indicators.”

    “He has tattoos that are consistent with those indicating TDA [Tren de Aragua] gang membership.” (15:08, Pablo Torre) “He’s showing the crown. He’s talking about the soccer ball… his favorite team is Real Madrid.” (16:09–16:27, Paola Ramos)

  • Reyes was interrogated:

    “‘This does not represent any gang in his country.’ But then the inspector says… ‘For us here in America, you are a gang member. You are a danger to society.’” (17:28–17:51, Paola Ramos)

• Shipped off under the Cover of Bureaucracy (18:11–19:28)

  • Reyes is suddenly placed on a plane, surrounded by ICE, DEA, and FBI. He's told he’s being deported to Venezuela, but is instead sent to El Salvador.
  • On arrival, Salvadoran guards greet them with:

    “‘Welcome to El Salvador, you son of a…’ [Explicit].” (20:48, Paola Ramos)

Life (and Survival) Inside Hell

• Recognition Amidst the Prison Parade (21:19–22:13)

  • Reyes’ family spots him in official government footage—by identifying his distinct "goalie's thumb" and a Michael Jordan tattoo on another detainee.

    “A goalie’s thumb is a particular digit… that is what makes them realize… their loved one is in Sekot.” (22:09–22:13, Paola Ramos)

• Physical and Psychological Abuse (23:05–24:35)

  • Reyes recounts being beaten, witnessing violence, hearing screams, and enduring solitary confinement—physical and psychological torture:

    “‘Is this what you lived? Is this torture?’ ‘Yes.’” (24:17–24:26, Paola Ramos)

  • Detainees could only shower at 4:30 AM or risk further abuse (24:52–25:07). Solitary confinement (“La Isla”) remains shrouded in mystery.

• How Reyes Coped (26:45–27:20)

  • Clung to visions of soccer and his daughters as motivation:

    “He had this dream of a soccer field… playing, with his daughters…” (27:00–27:20, Paola Ramos)

• The Power of Hope & The World Watching (28:02–28:55)

  • News leaks of outside advocacy, particularly work by his sister, lifted morale:

    “Someone tells him the world is watching…That gave him the hope he needed to, to hold on.” (28:18–28:55, Paola Ramos)

The Prisoner Swap & Release

• The Night Before Release (34:14–35:20)

  • Unprecedented: Detainees are allowed to shower at 2:00 AM, receive toiletries—signaling something significant is happening.

• Pledge on the Bus to Freedom (35:50–36:26)

  • The men resolve they’d rather die than return to Sekot as they’re bussed to the airport:

    “They all make a pledge…they would rather lose their lives than going back to this terrorist prison.” (35:50–36:26, Paola Ramos)

• Reunion and “Hero’s Welcome” in Matiques (37:25–38:12)

  • Reyes returns home to joyous crowds, his soccer students, and community pride:

    “This is like a Taylor Swift level…number of phones with their flashlights…He’s immediately welcomed back a hero.” (37:32–37:49, Pablo Torre & Paola Ramos)

Broader Impact & Unresolved Justice

• Lawsuits and International Claims (41:36–42:25)

  • The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is filing claims for unlawful detention under the Federal Tort Claims Act.
  • The case may go before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

• Broken American Dream and Troubling Warnings (42:42–44:37)

  • Reyes’ warning to others: Don’t seek the American dream; even tells soccer fans to avoid the U.S. during the upcoming World Cup for fear of racial profiling.

    “Would you do it again? He said: ‘No, no, no. It is not worth it.’” (43:08, Paola Ramos) “Don’t come, don’t go to the World Cup.” (44:12, Paola Ramos)

Closure & Final Messages

• Back to Coaching—Not the Dream, But a Dream (45:02–45:57)

  • Reyes is back coaching young goalkeepers, focusing on opening a goalie academy for kids.

    “He wants to raise another generation of goalies…give those kids a new goalie school.” (45:51–45:57, Paola Ramos)

• The New Real Madrid Tattoo (47:47–48:38)

  • Despite all that happened, Reyes bears no shame for his tattoos—he plans to get a second Real Madrid tattoo in defiance and pride:

    “He has no regrets at all. In fact…he did nothing wrong…He wants another Real Madrid tattoo.” (48:24–48:53, Paola Ramos)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the prayer for Reyes:

  “Guide him wherever he is. Help free him, liberate him, so he's free.” (03:51, Paola Ramos translating the youth team’s words)

• On U.S. gang logic:

  “For us here in America, you are a gang member.” (17:38, Paola Ramos quoting a U.S. inspector)

• On coping inside Sekot:

  “He had this dream of a soccer field…with his daughters, giving hugs…that is what kept him going.” (27:00–27:20, Paola Ramos)

• On his return:

  “After being called a terrorist…to be then received as a hero…he was very emotional. It's still overwhelming for him.” (37:32–38:12, Paola Ramos)

• His message to young players:

  “Try and find whatever you were looking for in the U.S. inside your own local teams…stick to your roots.” (43:32, Paola Ramos)

• Why he refuses to reject his tattoos:

  “He did nothing wrong…he feels no shame…He wants to kind of redefine that and get more, get another [tattoo].” (48:24–48:53, Paola Ramos)

Important Timestamps

• 03:27 — Introduction of Reyes’ youth team and their prayer
• 06:21–07:41 — Reyes’ arrival in the U.S., subsequent disappearance
• 07:41–08:37 — Transfer to El Salvador, conditions in “Sekot”
• 14:38–17:28 — The “gang” tattoo misidentification
• 22:09–22:13 — Family recognizing Reyes by his “goalie’s thumb”
• 24:17–24:26 — Reyes directly affirms torture inside Sekot
• 27:00–27:20 — Reyes’ mental survival strategies
• 34:14–35:20 — Night before release, signals of hope
• 37:25–38:12 — The rapturous hometown reunion
• 41:36–42:25 — Announcement of legal claims
• 42:42–44:37 — Reyes’ heartbreaking warning to other would-be migrants
• 45:02–45:57 — Reyes returns to coach his youth team
• 47:47–48:38 — Defiant embrace of his Real Madrid tattoo

Tone & Language

The episode is empathetic, investigative, and sharp—blending poignant storytelling with biting political critique and relatable soccer banter. Pablo and Paola’s dialogue preserves the intimacy and gravity of Reyes’ ordeal while maintaining the accessibility and humor that defines Pablo Torre Finds Out.

Conclusion

Through immersive storytelling and galling detail, this episode exposes the collision of politics, fandom, and human rights, putting a human face on the costs of bureaucratic injustice. While Reyes did not realize his American dream, he embodies resilience—choosing pride and hope amid trauma, and inspiring a new generation on Venezuela’s soccer fields. His journey warns of the dangers of misplaced suspicion and asks listeners to reconsider what makes a hero, both on and off the pitch.