Bolívar prison murder sparks concerns over overcrowding and firearms

The Venezuelan NGO Observatorio Venezolano de Prisiones (OVP) has reported the murder of Júnior Rafael Velásquez Herrera, a 23-year-old detainee, at the Guaiparo Police Coordination Center in Bolívar state. Velásquez, who had been held for three years without a formal sentence, was allegedly shot and killed by another inmate, identified as 39-year-old Richard José Hernández Álvarez.

The incident has raised serious questions regarding how a firearm was accessible to an inmate within the facility. The OVP highlighted critical levels of overcrowding at the center, noting that while the capacity is approximately 100 people, the facility holds significantly more. The organization also reported the presence of criminal leaders, known as ‘pranes’, who reportedly extort monthly payments from other detainees.

Following the shooting, authorities announced potential transfers of detainees to other centers. This has caused significant concern among families, who fear that moving inmates to different states will lead to increased procedural delays and distance them from the courts handling their cases. The Public Ministry and the CICPC have launched investigations to clarify the circumstances of the shooting.