Prison Riot in Venezuela’s Barinas Leaves Inmates in Control

Hundreds of inmates seized control of Barinas Prison in western Venezuela after launching a riot over allegations of torture, in a major security disturbance inside the facility in the city of Barinas, about 500 kilometres from the capital, Caracas. The unrest also drew relatives to the prison gate as riot police surrounded the Barinas Judicial Supervision Center. The inmates protested alleged abuse and sought the removal of the prison director. During the riot, they carried banners reading “Save us” and “They are torturing us,” while mattresses and blankets were set on fire, sending thick columns of smoke into the sky. Family members said some detainees were injured during the unrest and urged authorities to intervene immediately. Several relatives alleged that prisoners had been subjected to severe beatings, washing with cold water and electric shocks. The Venezuela Prison Observatory, a humanitarian organization, said about 1,200 male inmates and more than 100 female inmates in Barinas had gone on strike. It said demands over ill-treatment had been ignored for a week and that tear gas and firearms were used during interventions. Prisons in Venezuela have long faced criticism from rights advocates over overcrowding, food shortages and a lack of health care. The country has previously carried out military operations to break gang control inside prisons, and similar riots have in the past resulted in deaths.