Venezuela: Five Inmates Killed in Yare Prison Riot

At least five inmates have died in a riot at the Yare III maximum-security prison, 70 kilometers south of Caracas, the Venezuelan Ministry of Correctional Services announced.

The riot broke out after a clash between prisoners. Authorities have not specified the cause of the incidents, nor the number of injured. The prosecutor's office has launched an investigation into the incident.

In 2023, President Nicolás Maduro ordered military operations to regain control of prisons from inmates and gangs. Dozens of prisoners had been transferred to Yare III.

The non-governmental organization Venezuelan Prison Observatory (OVP) reports that in 2024, 105 deaths were recorded in prisons and detention centers due to unsafe detention conditions.

Conditions in Venezuelan prisons are criticized for overcrowding, lack of food and water, violence, and unsanitary conditions.