Venezuela detains 12 police officials after ex‑concejal dies in custody

The former Anzoátegui municipal councillor José Manuel García Sabino was found dead on 9 May inside a detention cell of the Anaco municipal police (Polianaco). A forensic report ruled the cause of death as mechanical asphyxiation by strangulation, prompting the scientific criminal investigation body (CICPC) to reclassify the case as homicide.

Following the findings, the director of Polianaco, Pedro Pablo Parra Escala, and eleven other police officers were arrested and formally charged with qualified homicide, omission of duties, illegal confinement and related offences. The court ordered their pre‑trial detention. The investigation also placed the 34 inmates who shared the cell under scrutiny for possible complicity.

The incident has drawn criticism from human‑rights groups and highlighted concerns over custodial deaths and alleged corruption linked to García Sabino’s prior investigation for an alleged savings‑scheme fraud.