Venezuelan prison massacres claim 397 lives since 2011

The Venezuelan NGO Observatorio Venezolano de Prisiones (OVP) has documented 24 massacres within the country's prison system between 2011 and 2026. These incidents resulted in 397 deaths and left more than 600 people injured.

Of the total fatalities, 369 were inmates, 22 were visitors, two were prison guards, three were officials from the Ministry for Penitentiary Service, and one was a member of the Bolivarian National Guard. The OVP noted that while the government has often claimed these deaths occurred between inmates, the organization holds authorities responsible for the presence of weapons within the facilities.

Significant tragedies cited include a 2013 event at the Uribana Penitentiary Center in Lara state where 65 people died, and a 2014 incident at the David Viloria Penitentiary Center involving mass intoxication. The most recent massacre reported occurred in April 2026 at the Yare III Penitentiary Center in Miranda state, where five inmates were killed following a protest. The OVP highlighted a lack of accountability, stating that investigations into these events often yield no known results or identified perpetrators.