Venezuelan Inmates Protest on Prison Roof Amid Allegations of Abuse

CARACAS, May 24 (Reuters) - Inmates at Barinas prison in western Venezuela protested on the roof of the facility on Sunday, setting mattresses on fire and demanding the removal of the prison director, Elvis Macuare Guerrero. They accused him of overseeing guards who shot unarmed prisoners. A video shared by the Venezuelan Prison Observatory, a local NGO, featured a prisoner stating, "We want justice. They are shooting us, the guards and the wardens," while showing a man with a bullet wound in his chest. Inmates reported that they were peacefully protesting when prison staff opened fire, resulting in injuries. Venezuelan authorities did not respond to requests for comment. Family members of the inmates clashed with National Guard officers outside the prison as they attempted to stop them from entering. The NGO reported hearing screams and explosions shortly after the officers entered. The organization is documenting the events and reporting them to human rights watchdogs. Venezuelan prisons are under international scrutiny as the interim government of President Delcy Rodriguez has passed a law to release hundreds of individuals considered political prisoners.