(Public Domain Image, "Prison Razor Wire," courtesy of Max Pixel) [1]
Overcrowding
Since 2012, el Ministerio del Poder Popular para el Servicio Penitenciario has closed five correctional facilities in Venezuela, making overcrowding a dire problem. [2] The occupancy rate of prison facilities in Venezuela is at an all time high at 290%. [2] Some local police stations have taken to keeping prisoners in their holding cells because there is no room for them in facilities nearby, but even this makes the holding cells overcrowded. Holding cells that are only meant to hold the incarcerated for a maximum of 48 hours, end up being the place of residence for some prisoners for years at a time. With a prison population that continues to rise in recent years [4], this issue will only continue to get worse with no relief in sight for those in the penitentiary system.
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(Public Domain Video, "Venezuela's Deadly Prison Crisis," courtesy of YouTube & AlJazeera [3])
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Torture and Abuse
Though a good majority of the 32 prison facilities in Venezuela are now back under governmental control instead of gang control, this has not decreased the amount of torture and abuse that is experienced by prisoners. Severe punishments such as taking electric surges to ankles, behind the ears, and testicles were described by a political activist that ended up in El Helicoide after being arrested during a protest. [5] He said that, as he entered the building, he was told, "Welcome to Hell" by one of the prison guards. Though physical torture is prevalent, the psychological torture of listening to others endure pain can be even worse than experiencing it firsthand. "...even when they don’t apply it to you, you realize how far they can go and what they are capable of doing.” [5] The Venezuelan government has been contacted by human rights groups globally regarding this issue, but so far, no response has been heard.
Sources
1. “Prison Razor Razor Wire Fence Wire Barbed.” Max Pixel, www.maxpixel.net/Prison-Razor-Razor-Wire-Fence-Wire-Barbed-1762079.
2. “Prisons in Venezuela.” Prison Insider, Dec. 2015, www.prison-insider.com/countryprofile/prisonsinvzla?s=le-systeme-penitentiaire#le-systeme-penitentiaire.
3. Holman, John. “Venezuela's Deadly Prison Crisis.” GCC News | Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera, 9 July 2018, www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/07/venezuelas-deadly-prison-crisis-180709070020068.html.
4. “Venezuela World Prison Brief.” Prison Studies, Prisonstudies.org, 1 Jan. 1970, www.prisonstudies.org/country/venezuela.
5. Delgado, Antonio Maria. “'Welcome to Hell.' Former Venezuelan Political Prisoner Says He Was Tortured in Jail.” Miamiherald, Miami Herald, 20 July 2018, www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/venezuela/article215033815.html.
2. “Prisons in Venezuela.” Prison Insider, Dec. 2015, www.prison-insider.com/countryprofile/prisonsinvzla?s=le-systeme-penitentiaire#le-systeme-penitentiaire.
3. Holman, John. “Venezuela's Deadly Prison Crisis.” GCC News | Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera, 9 July 2018, www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/07/venezuelas-deadly-prison-crisis-180709070020068.html.
4. “Venezuela World Prison Brief.” Prison Studies, Prisonstudies.org, 1 Jan. 1970, www.prisonstudies.org/country/venezuela.
5. Delgado, Antonio Maria. “'Welcome to Hell.' Former Venezuelan Political Prisoner Says He Was Tortured in Jail.” Miamiherald, Miami Herald, 20 July 2018, www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/venezuela/article215033815.html.