Inter-American Court orders Venezuela to shut El Helicoide detention center

The Inter-American Court of Human Rights (CorteIDH) issued a ruling ordering Venezuelan authorities to close El Helicoide, a government building used as a detention centre, within 18 months. The court found the State responsible for the arbitrary detention and torture of detainees, referencing the 2003 case of student Jorge Rojas, who was beaten, threatened with sexual violence and subjected to mock executions. "La Corte estima pertinente ordenar al Estado que disponga, en un plazo de 18 meses … el cierre del centro de detención ‘El Helicoide’".

The decision also mandates that all current detainees be transferred in accordance with the standards of the American Convention on Human Rights regarding personal integrity, liberty and due process. It highlights systematic abuse by SEBIN agents and calls for the facility’s closure to prevent further violations.