Venezuelan Prison Erupts as Inmates Torch Roof, Allege Guards Opened Fire

CARACAS, May 24 – Prisoners at a detention facility in Barinas, western Venezuela, staged a dramatic rooftop protest on Sunday, setting fire to mattresses and demanding the removal of the prison’s director amid allegations that guards opened fire on unarmed inmates.

Videos circulated by the Venezuelan Prison Observatory, a local human rights NGO, showed inmates gathered on the roof as smoke billowed from burning debris. In one clip, a wounded prisoner with a gunshot injury to the chest is seen as others shout accusations against prison authorities.

“We want justice. They are shooting us — the guards and the wardens,” one inmate declared in footage shared on social media.
According to prisoners, the protest had been peaceful before security personnel allegedly discharged firearms, leaving several inmates injured. The claims could not be independently verified, and Venezuelan authorities did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The inmates are calling for the removal of newly appointed prison director Elvis Macuare Guerrero, accusing him of presiding over worsening conditions inside the facility. They allege that prisoners have been stripped of clothing, denied family visits, and coerced into participating in drug distribution schemes.

Tensions extended beyond the prison walls, where family members of inmates reportedly clashed with National Guard officers. Witnesses said relatives attempted to force entry into the compound but were repelled by heavily equipped security forces using riot shields.
Family members told the Venezuelan Prison Observatory they heard screams and explosions shortly after confrontations began.
The NGO said it is actively documenting the incident and intends to submit its findings to international human rights bodies.

Venezuela’s prison system has long faced scrutiny from global watchdogs over conditions, overcrowding, and allegations of abuse. The latest unrest comes amid broader political instability following the government led by interim President Delcy Rodríguez and heightened international tensions earlier this year.

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