Venezuelan Human Rights Group Reports on Torture Facility

This week, the Venezuelan non-governmental organization, Justice, Encounters and Forgiveness (JEP), revealed that the torture facility known as “El Helicoide,” which is the largest and most infamous of its kind in Venezuela’s socialist regime, remains operational, contrary to official claims.

Located in San Agustin, Caracas, El Helicoide was constructed in the 1950s during the dictatorship of Marcos Pérez Jiménez. It was initially intended to be the first drive-through shopping mall in the world. However, following Pérez Jiménez’s ousting in 1958, these plans didn’t materialize, leaving the building incomplete.

The regime subsequently transformed El Helicoide into what is believed to be the largest torture center in Latin America. Following the U.S. military’s arrest of socialist dictator Nicolás Maduro on January 3, acting president Delcy Rodriguez declared that El Helicoide would be closed and repurposed as a “cultural center” for the local community.

However, over three months later, JEP confirmed that El Helicoide is still in operation, with at least 25 political prisoners unjustly detained there.

JEP’s statement emphasized that while international statements are based on prior commitments, the reality of human rights necessitates a comparison with the actual conditions faced by those affected. “Behind every statistic, there are families still waiting for answers,” it stated, asserting that as long as citizens are denied freedom within the facility, it cannot be deemed closed.

The organization urged both the international community and local authorities to monitor the situation closely, demanding transparency regarding the ongoing circumstances at El Helicoide, where those 25 political prisoners are still being held.

Hours after JEP made its announcement, reports of “abnormal movements” within El Helicoide emerged, suggesting potential transfers of political prisoners to undisclosed locations. “These developments raise serious concerns and highlight that decisions are being made more in response to external pressure than from a genuine desire to address the violations,” the statement added.

JEP called for the immediate and unconditional release of the 25 political prisoners, stating that transferring them to another facility does not resolve the underlying human rights issues.

Following Maduro’s arrest, the Venezuelan regime released numerous political prisoners who had been unjustly incarcerated. Among them was a former police officer who had spent over 23 years in prison.

Despite this, the NGO Foro Penal reported that as of June 1, there are still at least 404 political prisoners in Venezuela, including at least one minor aged between 14 and 17.

Foro Penal’s director, Alfredo Romero, highlighted on social media that Jackson Vera, a political prisoner wrongfully accused of “terrorism” and “treason,” has been relocated from El Helicoide to La Planta prison in Caracas. He also noted that a significant number of women are currently detained at El Helicoide, which is now prevalent in women’s detention centers around the country.

Colombian news channel NTN24 noted that the transfer of prisoners took place a day after Secretary of State Marco Rubio informed Congress that El Helicoide had been closed. JEP co-founder Martha Tineo rejected this assertion and stressed the need to safeguard the facility and begin a thorough investigation.

“It’s clear that decisions continue to disregard human dignity, overlooking the plight of those who have been wrongfully imprisoned,” Tineo remarked.

El Helicoide has a history of becoming even more notorious under Maduro’s regime, with reports of conditions worsening significantly. Incredibly, while the ruling Socialists constructed a basketball court near the facility in 2024, they also celebrated the season’s onset with fireworks, showing a stark contrast to the dire circumstances inside.

In December 2025, before his departure from office, Maduro claimed in a forced broadcast that a maternal health center had opened within El Helicoide, highlighting a troubling inconsistency in messaging.