In a harrowing account, inmates in a harsh Venezuelan prison have reportedly faced extreme brutality, including being strung up, beaten, raped, and subjected to degrading treatment with bags of waste over their heads. El Helicoide prison, situated in Caracas, was originally designed as a spiral-shaped shopping complex but has transformed into a nightmarish place under the leadership of the now-captured president, Nicolás Maduro.
Originally planned as a pioneering drive-thru shopping center in the 1950s, El Helicoide now serves as a notorious facility known as “hell on Earth,” where prisoners endure a grim existence and suffer various forms of torture, such as the infamous “Russian” or “white torture,” involving confinement in a small, windowless cell painted entirely in white under constant bright lights, leading to disorientation and hallucinations.
Disturbing reports from The Telegraph shed light on the appalling conditions within the prison, with prisoners waking up to find their comrades bloodied and unconscious on the floor. Former inmate and Venezuelan opposition figure Rosmit Mantilla revealed shocking details of electrocutions and sexual assaults with rifles inflicted on prisoners.
Describing the cramped and oppressive setting, Mantilla referred to a particular cell as “el infiernito” or “little hell,” highlighting the lack of ventilation and relentless illumination. He disclosed the dire circumstances where inmates were compelled to urinate in the same space as their food due to severe overcrowding, with no room even to lie down comfortably.
Despite standing largely vacant for years, El Helicoide saw government agencies, including the SEBIN intelligence service, relocating to the premises in the 1980s. However, recent military actions in Venezuela, led by US President Donald Trump targeting Maduro, have potentially raised hopes for the families of inmates for their release.
Following the military intervention, President of Venezuela’s National Assembly, Jorge RodrÃguez, announced plans for the release of certain prisoners, with the regime claiming that 116 individuals have already been freed. Nevertheless, the human rights organization Penal Forum disputes this figure, stating that only 56 individuals have been released.
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