Venezuelan political prisoners' families protest at US embassy as death toll climbs

Families of Venezuelan political detainees held a midnight vigil outside the United States embassy in Caracas, demanding the immediate release of their relatives. They said the announced closure of the notorious Helicoide prison on June 3 did not free inmates but dispersed them to other facilities, with one relative noting, "Helicoide was not closed, it was multiplied." Embassy staff made repeated night‑time rounds to check on the protestors.

The Observatory of Political Prisoners reported another death, bringing the total of prisoners who have died in custody since April to 21. The latest victim, Victor Alfonso Rivero, was found dead in the Centro de Formación Hombre Nuevo in Carúpano. The group warned that the fatalities signal a humanitarian emergency, highlighting inadequate medical care, delayed hospital transfers, and the forced role of families in providing basic care within the prisons. International human‑rights bodies have been urged to intervene.