Venezuela recaptures fifth prison from gangs

Venezuelan authorities have announced they have retaken control of a fifth prison from gangs, as part of a campaign to dismantle criminal organizations in prisons.

Venezuelan Interior Minister Remigio Ceballos said on November 6 that security forces had entered Vista Hermosa prison, located in the mining region of Bolivar state, in the south of the country.

"We have successfully regained control of the most crowded detention facility in Venezuela," Minister Ceballos said, noting that the 1,228 inmates at Vista Hermosa will be transferred to other prisons in the country.

Venezuelan officials also released images of shirtless prisoners sitting in rows in the prison yard, their hands cuffed.

Shirtless inmates sit in rows in the courtyard of the Vista Hermosa prison after authorities retook the facility on November 6. Photo: Venezuelan Ministry of Prison Services — Shirtless inmates sit in rows in the courtyard of the Vista Hermosa prison after authorities retook the facility on November 6. Photo: *Venezuelan Ministry of Prisons*

Venezuela began its campaign to reclaim its prisons on September 20, starting with the Tocoron prison in Aragua state. Inside the prison, authorities discovered a restaurant, swimming pool, nightclub and mini-zoo, as well as studios where inmates filmed music videos and uploaded them to YouTube.

Raids followed on Tocuyito, the country’s largest prison in Carabobo state, and Puente Ayala in Anzoategui state. In most of these facilities, authorities found caches of weapons used by inmates to commit crimes outside the prison.

Last week, security forces in armoured vehicles entered La Pica prison in Monagas state, where they said gangs were running an “extortion centre”.

The Venezuelan government says it has regained control of five prisons with a total of nearly 8,000 inmates. President Nicolas Maduro has called for an “iron fist, maximum discipline and no gangs” campaign in prisons.

Huyen Le (According to AFP )

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