El Helicoide opens its doors: Spanish and Venezuelan political prisoners regain their freedom
Those released faced extreme conditions, isolation and secret transfers to different prisons around the country
- What is the Helicoide really?
- Transfers and destinations of detainees
- Arrest figures, official announcement and complaints
A political earthquake shakes Venezuela following the capture of Nicolás Maduro by the United States.
Just one week later, Caracas announced the release of a significant number of political prisoners, including six Spanish citizens: Andrés Martínez and José María Basoa, accused of espionage; sailor Miguel Moreno Dapena and Rocío San Miguel, a Venezuelan activist with dual nationality; and Enrique Gorve and Sofía Sahagún. All of them were being held in the country's most feared prison: the Helicoide.
What is the Helicoide really?
The Helicoide, headquarters of the Bolivarian Intelligence Service (Sebin) in Caracas, is the first place where the most important political prisoners are taken. This building, which was planned as a shopping centre in the 1960s but never completed, was adapted by the Venezuelan government as a prison and headquarters for Sebin. Since then and to this day, the facilities have become a symbol of the Chavista regime's power and control over detainees for decades.
The conditions inside this centre are very harsh. According to accounts from prisoners who have been through these facilities, the cells had no natural light, running water, beds or toilets. These characteristics, similar only to those of cells for prisoners convicted of terrorism, forced prisoners of all kinds to sleep on the floor.
However, depending on the crime, prisoners were sent to different cells: new arrivals went to Infiernito, those who were not political prisoners went to the Guantánamo cell, and political prisoners usually went to Guarimbero.
Former detainees and non-governmental organisations have reported that the cells at El Helicoide are 300% overcrowded and that inmates live with cockroaches and a lack of basic services.
Venezuelan journalist Víctor Navarro has recreated the interior of the prison in virtual reality, showing the difficult conditions of isolation and the psychological impact on detainees. During this initial contact, the Bolivarian Intelligence Service interrogates the detainees, assesses their level of risk and gathers information before deciding their final destination.
Transfers and destinations of detainees
Not all political prisoners remain in El Helicoide. The vast majority of prisoners are transferred to one centre or another based on a report drafted by Sebin in collaboration with the government.
These decisions vary greatly depending on the capacity of the prisons, the profile of the detainees and the level of risk. This means that transfers are carried out discreetly and at night without notifying family members or lawyers and in official cars to avoid possible consequences if gang leaders or opponents were to find out where each prisoner was going to be held. However, corruption within Venezuela's prisons is rife, which has sometimes led to major riots.
Common destinations for detainees are Ramo Verde, Yare II and III, El Rodeo I and II, Tocorón and the cells of the DGCIM, GNB or regional police. According to a spokesperson for Foro Penal, ‘these transfers seek to control prisoners and reduce media pressure by limiting the visibility of their conditions.’
Arrest figures, official announcement and complaints
According to the Venezuelan regime, more than 1,000 people remain detained in Venezuela for political reasons. The Helicoide houses only a portion of these prisoners; the rest are held in military prisons, common prisons, and security force cells.
This division exists because the Venezuelan government wants to maintain political control and prevent the dispersion of potential opponents, which limits the attention of international organisations on the situation of prisoners.
The announcement of the release was made by Jorge Rodríguez, president of the National Assembly, who stated that this gesture by the Bolivarian government seeks to contribute to national unity and peaceful coexistence. On the other hand, Theresly Malavé, Rocío San Miguel's lawyer, confirmed to the international press present that Rocío is free, in stable health and safe.