Crowded and Grim: Inside Venezuela’s Prisons
On June 12, an outbreak of gang-related violence in Venezuela’s El Rodeo I prison, located on the outskirts of the capital city of Caracas, predictably instigated a 27-day stand-off between inmates and military guards at the neighboring El Rodeo II facility. The negotiations that took place on July 14 between government officials and rebellious inmates led to the peaceful resolution of the conflict and the subsequent removal of 1,019 inmates from the penitentiary. The violent confrontations at El Rodeo, in addition to the relocation of prisoners, drew attention to the ticking time bomb of the overcrowded prison system. Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez has approved various reform measures in order to improve the nation’s prison system, but thus far bureaucratic adjustments and increased funding have made only cosmetic changes in the grossly inadequate penitentiary system.
El Rodeo
An altercation between two rival gangs in El Rodeo I prison, located on the outskirts of the Venezuelan capital of Caracas, exploded into violence on June 12, 2011. This confrontation left 25 dead and many more injured. After mollifying the situation at El Rodeo I, the National Guard attempted to control tension at a neighboring wing of the facility, El Rodeo II, on June 17. Inmates of El Rodeo II greeted the soldiers with a “barrage of gunfire.” It is unclear how the prisoners came into possession of these weapons, but gang activity and the presence of such heavy-duty contraband is common within Venezuelan cell blocks. The first days of the conflict were characterized by the detonation of hand grenades and the frequent deployment of tear gas. The stand-off endured for nearly one month, but finally ended with peaceful negotiations between the inmates and security forces. Though it appears that the inmates were treated fairly, Venezuelan prisons are notorious for their wrenching human rights violations.
This analysis was prepared by COHA Research Associate Jennifer Nerby.
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