Hundreds of detainees rioted in a prison complex in the city of Barinas, in western Venezuela. They protested against torture in the institution and demanded the resignation of the prison director.
The protest took place on the roof of the prison, where inmates set fire to mattresses and sheets. According to a reporter from the AFP news agency, the detainees shouted: ‘No more torture!’. Banners reading ‘SOS’ and ‘They are torturing us’ were also seen.
The inmates said they were protesting peacefully when prison staff opened fire, leaving several injured. The Venezuelan Prisons Observatory, a local NGO, shared a video on
The prisoners demanded the resignation of recently appointed prison director Elvis Macuare Guerrero. They said their clothes had been taken, that they were no longer allowed to receive visitors and that they were pressured to sell drugs.
Relatives of the inmates gathered outside the prison clashed with National Guard members armed with riot shields. They said they heard screaming and explosions inside the prison.
Activists have been warning for years about the poor conditions in Venezuelan prisons. They denounce overpopulation and human rights violations. Prisoners are often held for months before appearing in court.
