Caracas, Venezuela — Venezuela’s prison system has long been criticized for its poor conditions, ranging from overcrowding and procedural delays to unsanitary environments and allegations of abuse.
These concerns are again mounting following the deaths in recent days of nine detainees in various detention centers across the country.
The first case involves five deaths inside the Yare III prison in the state of Miranda, as confirmed on April 20 by the Ministry of Penitentiary Affairs.
After several hours of silence and conflicting reports, the agency issued a statement indicating that the deaths were the result of a fight inside the prison.
The victims were identified as Keivin Matamoros, Eliecer Córdoba, Erkin Ramos, José Andrade, and Jean Carlos Jiménez.
The Venezuelan Prison Observatory (OVP) last week requested that an investigation be conducted to clarify what had occurred. Furthermore, they noted that relatives of the detainees did not believe the government’s version of events, as the deceased reportedly suffered gunshot wounds.
“These allegations are particularly alarming in a prison where the state exercises total control and where the entry of weapons cannot be explained without the participation, tolerance, or negligence of the custodial authorities,” the observatory stated.
For this reason, the organization demanded that Ángel de Castro, the director of the Yare III prison, be removed from office.
It also called for the prison to be placed under the supervision of a commission comprising the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Ombudsman’s Office, the Ministry of Penitentiary Affairs, and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), based in Caracas, to verify the current detention conditions, guarantee the lives and safety of the inmates, and ensure transparency in the investigation of the recent killings.
Family members of other prisoners have also publicly asked authorities if anyone else was injured in the incident and, if so, what their condition is.
The OVP has documented human rights violations at this prison before.
The complaints they have received indicate that there have been incidents of torture and cruel and inhuman treatment, such as beatings with a bat called “human rights” and prolonged confinement in the “tigrito” cell, a space devoid of light and ventilation.
Four deaths in recent days
In a separate case, the OVP reported on April 21 the death of Rosqui Norberto Escalon (71), who it claims was the victim of a series of irregularities at the Uribana prison in the state of Lara in northern Venezuela.
They noted that the inmate died on the way back to the prison, after officials allegedly forced his medical discharge despite his frailty.
The man’s body was allegedly left on the floor of the Barquisimeto Central Hospital by guards. The incident was captured on video, which has gone viral on social media.
Similar deaths were also reported:
- Yelamo Zárraga José Ramón’s death inside the Tocuyito Prison, the country’s largest penitentiary, was reported on April 24.
- Deivi Enrique García’s death at Rodeo IV was reported on April 20.
- Ovidio José Madriz Mendoza’s death at Rodeo III was also reported April 20.
The OVP stated that these individuals “died in circumstances marked by a lack of timely medical care and degrading living conditions. They, too, are victims of state negligence.”
Featured image: Prisoners in Venezuela.
Image credit: The Venezuelan Prison Observatory (OVP) website.
