About 1,300 inmates seized partial control of a prison rooftop in western Venezuela on Sunday to protest alleged torture and medical neglect [1].

The uprising highlights the deteriorating conditions within the Venezuelan penal system, where prisoners are reporting systemic abuse and a collapse of basic healthcare services.

The events took place at the Barinas Judicial Detention Centre, also referred to as Injuba prison, located in Barinas state [1], [2]. Inmates set mattresses on fire and launched a hunger strike to draw attention to their grievances. Some prisoners displayed alleged gunshot wounds to document the abuse they reported [1], [2].

Among the participants were more than 100 women [1]. Other reports described the scale of the riot as involving hundreds of inmates [2].

The prisoners demanded the removal of specific prison officials, citing a pattern of abuse by staff [1]. The group also highlighted severe overcrowding, and the presence of tuberculosis cases within the facility [1], [2].

Lack of medical care served as a primary driver for the unrest. Inmates said the facility failed to provide necessary treatment for sick prisoners, leading to the decision to seize the rooftop and initiate a hunger strike [1].

Local authorities have not yet provided a detailed response to the specific allegations of torture or the demands for official removals [1].

“Inmates seized partial control of the prison rooftop, set mattresses on fire, and launched a hunger strike.”

This riot reflects a broader crisis in Venezuela's judicial and correctional infrastructure. The combination of medical neglect—specifically the spread of tuberculosis—and allegations of state-sponsored torture suggests a breakdown in the rule of law within detention centers. By seizing the rooftop and using hunger strikes, inmates are attempting to bypass internal reporting mechanisms that they believe are compromised by the very officials they are protesting.