The overcrowding, the pranato, the commercialization of arms, extortion and payment for privileges that exist in prisons that do not work under the regime are also occurring in the precincts of preventive detention, information that was collected during the first semester of 2018 by the NGO Una Ventana a la Libertad, through the monitoring of 93 pre-trial detention centers located in the states of Bolivar, Carabobo, Capital District, Falcón, Lara, Mérida, Miranda, Monagas, Nueva Esparta, Táchira, Vargas and Zulia.

A study on the seven years of management of Iris Varela, presented by A Window to Freedom, indicates that a week after the appointment of the officer in charge of the penitentiary system on July 27, 2011, "began the stage of overcrowding and collapse in detention centers, after the issuance of a statement to the directors of Venezuelan prisons, on August 3, 2011, in which they ordered the suspension of income of prisoners in prisons without authorization of that office, "said lawyer Carlos Nieto Palma, director of the NGO.

The chaos. The suspension of admissions to prisons resulted in procedural delays, delays in the allocation of seats for prison centers and overcrowding. The population, to date, is 45,000 inmates in centers where there is only capacity to house 5,910 people, which reflects 250% of overcrowding, while for the same period of the previous year, this organization counted a total of 14,525 inmates and for that year, overcrowding reached 86%.

"Despite the fact that pretrial detention centers are only designed to house detainees for 48 hours while they are being transferred to the hearing before the judge, we document cases of prisoners who have served more than 3 years in these police cells," Nieto said. Palm.

During the first semester of the year, 232 deaths were registered: 71 during riots, 34 due to tuberculosis, 15 during confrontation after leaks, another 15 due to confrontation between prisoners, 11 due to squabbles in spaces, 6 for escape attempts, 2 suicides and 4 determined. To this list are added the 69 people who died on March 21 in the Policarabobo dungeons, "said Nieto Palma.

Seven years of management, without answers. With Iris Varela at the head of the penitentiary system, the construction of 24 prisons was established as a purpose to eradicate the overcrowding that existed in the already existing prisons. "In addition, he assured that the new prisons would be occupied by the inmates who were still being processed by that time and thus begin with a classification management and the entire exploratory process for the construction had already been advanced, so in 24 months, from those Declarations given in June 2011, said precincts would be ready, "said Nieto Palma.

Currently, there are 41 detention centers throughout the country. The installed capacity, according to A Window to Freedom, is 19,000 deprived of liberty, but the population that currently lives in these prisons totals 51,693 people. The surplus, according to figures provided by the Ministry of Penitentiary Service, is 32,693 inmates, which corresponds to 161% of overcrowding. Of the total number of inmates, only 35% have a sentence imposed. The remaining 64% is still processed and 1% is already in work detachment.

Weaknesses of the system.

• In prisons, prison corruption and the figure of pranato have also been installed.
• Police officers extort prisoners' relatives to allow them to pass food, cell phones, special visits, including conjugal ones.
• Inmates make their power felt inside the cells to dictate the rules in the prison routine.

Personal opinion

The prison issue is a lake that for many years went hand in hand with the Government of Nicolas Maduro, in fact place a Minister of Prison Affairs, who months later appears on the networks in some photos talking very friendly with inmates who have the power of the entire jail leaves much to think (careful) was not with a pran (inmate who decides the laws within the jails has full control of these, decides who dies and who does not) but this photos was with several of these to Nacional level. Then you will tell me which public figure has this type of acts and one that plays the role of minister of the republic should not appear with any prisoner but imposed as the authority that is.