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Caracas, Nov 13 (EFE).- A group of relatives of detainees in a prison located in northern Venezuela held a vigil near the penitentiary center, which ended this Wednesday, to demand the freedom of those considered political prisoners and that -they maintain- can enjoy Christmas with their loved ones.
Through publications in relatives’ walk around the penitentiary center.
The protesters released white balloons, with the names of the detainees and “messages of freedom”, outside the San Francisco de Yare Prison, located in the state of Miranda, and also lit dozens of white candles with which they formed on the floor the word “justice.”
According to the Committee for the Freedom of Political Prisoners, there are more than 300 detainees in that penitentiary center in the context of the post-electoral crisis, after the protests registered in rejection of the official result of the presidential elections of July 28, in which The National Electoral Council (CNE) proclaimed President Nicolás Maduro as the winner.
The largest opposition coalition in Venezuela – the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD) – joined the petition of the relatives to demand the freedom of all “Venezuelans who are behind bars for dissenting from the regime of Nicolás Maduro, before and after 28 of July.
“May this Christmas be without political prisoners and may freedom be the beginning of the peaceful change that we Venezuelans decisively chose,” said the PUD in X.
According to the NGO Foro Penal, there are 1,963 “political prisoners” in Venezuela, of which 1,836 were detained after the presidential elections, in which the PUD claims that its candidate, Edmundo González Urrutia, won by a wide margin.
Of the total, 69 are minors and are between 14 and 17 years old, according to the organization, which claims to register “the largest number of prisoners for political purposes known in Venezuela, at least in the 21st century.”
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What actions by the international community could help to improve the situation in Venezuelan prisons?
## Interview: Venezuelan Prison Crisis
**Interviewer:** We’re joined today by Alex Reed, an expert on Venezuelan human rights and prison conditions. Thank you for being here.
**Alex Reed:** Thank you for having me.
**Interviewer:** We’ve been seeing reports of protests and vigils outside prisons in Venezuela. Can you tell us more about the situation?
**Alex Reed:** There’s a deeply troubling situation unfolding in Venezuela’s prisons. Families of detainees, some of whom are considered political prisoners, held a vigil recently outside a prison in northern Venezuela, demanding their release in time for Christmas [[source not provided]]. This highlights the desperation and frustration felt by many Venezuelans due to the ongoing humanitarian crisis within the penitentiary system.
**Interviewer:** You mentioned a humanitarian crisis. Can you elaborate on that?
**Alex Reed:** Unfortunately, Venezuelan prisons are plagued by violence, overcrowding, and a severe lack of basic necessities. As reported by InSight Crime, inmates from multiple prisons have engaged in hunger strikes protest these appalling conditions [[1](https://insightcrime.org/news/gang-violence-overcrowding-grows-venezuelas-prisons-despite-government-efforts/ )]. These protests reflect the dire reality faced by many prisoners, who are deprived of adequate food, healthcare, and sanitation.
**Interviewer:** What is driving this crisis, and what solutions are being proposed?
**Alex Reed:** A combination of factors contributes to this crisis. Years of economic mismanagement and political instability have severely weakened the Venezuelan state’s capacity to manage its prisons effectively.
Gang violence, fueled by the power vacuum within the prisons, has also become a serious problem. The Venezuelan government has attempted to retake control through military operations, but these efforts have met with limited success and the underlying issues persist [[1](https://insightcrime.org/news/gang-violence-overcrowding-grows-venezuelas-prisons-despite-government-efforts/)].
**Interviewer:** What can the international community do to help alleviate this situation?
**Alex Reed:** International pressure is crucial. Orgainsations like the UN and human rights groups can advocate for greater transparency and accountability within the Venezuelan prison system.
Additionally, providing humanitarian aid and supporting independent monitoring of prison conditions can help mitigate the suffering of detainees.
**Interviewer:** Thank you for sharing your insights on this critical issue.
**Alex Reed:** Thank you for having me.