Violent clashes have erupted at a prison in Venezuela. Inmates at the Injuba jail in Barinas state protested their treatment. They climbed onto the prison roof. Prisoners also burned mattresses during the demonstration on May 25, 2026.
Extra security forces were sent to the prison. Witnesses reported hearing explosions. Some inmates claimed they were shot at by guards. The Venezuelan Prison Observatory (OVP) has long reported poor conditions. OVP stated that Injuba inmates had complained for over a week. They alleged mistreatment by the new prison director. These claims include violent searches and solitary confinement. The director has not yet commented publicly. Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodríguez's government has also remained silent.
Footage shared by OVP shows inmates on the roof. Some are seen burning mattresses. One video captured a man displaying wounds. Other voices in the video shouted "they're shooting at us." Chants of "we want justice" were also heard. Another video featured a woman addressing Rodríguez directly. She demanded the resignation of the prisons minister and the Injuba director. She emphasized their protest was peaceful. Their demands include medicine for prisoners with tuberculosis. OVP consistently highlights dire conditions in Venezuelan jails. The organisation warns many facilities lack basic legal standards.
The United States previously seized Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. This happened in a military operation on January 3. US pressure has since led to hundreds of political prisoner releases. However, over 400 political prisoners remain in jail. This is according to the group Foro Penal. Injuba is not usually a prison for many political inmates. Still, Venezuela's Committee for the Freedom of Political Prisoners expressed solidarity. The committee cited "punishment, hunger, solitary confinement, torture and inhumane conditions." They stated these tactics are used to control prisoners. These conditions are part of prison policy. In March, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, noted ongoing torture reports. His office received allegations of torture against detainees after Maduro's alleged ouster.