Inmates at a prison in western Venezuela staged a dramatic rooftop protest Sunday, setting mattresses and sheets on fire while accusing prison officials of abuse.
The protest happened at Barinas prison, about 310 miles from Caracas. Videos shared by the Venezuelan Observatory of Prisons showed large columns of smoke rising from the facility as prisoners gathered on the roof and shouted for justice.
Inmates claimed they were peacefully protesting when prison staff opened fire, leaving some prisoners wounded. In one video shared by the prison rights group, a man appeared to have a bullet wound in his chest.
Prisoners also called for the removal of the facility’s director, Elvis Macuare Guerrero. They accused prison officials of mistreatment, saying they had been denied visits, stripped of clothing and pressured to sell drugs.
TRENDING TODAY
As smoke rose from the prison roof, inmates chanted “No more torture” and hung “SOS” banners in an attempt to draw attention to their conditions.
Outside the prison, relatives of inmates clashed with National Guard officers as security forces entered the facility. Family members told the Venezuelan Observatory of Prisons that they heard screams and explosions shortly afterward.
One woman, Yelitza Arrollo, said she had not heard from her son, who is incarcerated at the prison, since May 8. She said families want the prison director removed and fear for the safety of their loved ones.
The Venezuelan Observatory of Prisons said it is documenting the incident and reporting the allegations to human rights watchdogs. The group said around 1,200 men and more than 100 women held at the facility had joined the protest.
Venezuelan authorities did not immediately respond to requests for comment, according to Reuters.
The protest adds to long-running concerns about conditions inside Venezuela’s prison system, where human rights groups have repeatedly raised alarms about abuse, overcrowding and mistreatment.
🇻🇪 Inmates at the Barinas Judicial Internment Center in Venezuela are demanding the removal of new director Elvis Macuare Guerrero, accusing him of violent raids, isolation, and torture.
Outside the prison, families fear what could happen next.pic.twitter.com/uux4zUPr29
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) May 25, 2026
