It’s the shape of a three-sided pyramid – originally built to become a shopping mall in Venezuela’s capital Caracas – but El Helicoide has for years been a sinister prison, headquarters of the secret police and famous for the torture of its inmates.
Filming it close up was impossible, driving past it was scary, but from its gloomy depths, political prisoners are being released into the arms of their families outside, watched on by television cameras.
Even by the standards set in this tumultuous week in Venezuela, this is a remarkable development and may be a sign that the new administration is at least making a gesture to show it is perhaps embracing change – watched on of course by the Trump administration in the US.
As the deposed former leader Nicolas Maduro was in a Manhattan court facing narcotics trafficking charges – and his successor, Delcy Rodriguez, was being sworn in as the next caretaker president – calls for the release of political prisoners from inside and outside Venezuela were growing.
Donald Trump recently said the Venezuelan government was closing its “torture chamber” in the middle of Caracas. He appeared to be referring to El Helicoide. If this is true, it does then seem that one of the long-term demands of the opposition in the country is being addressed.
Some of the names being mentioned for release include major opposition players, even those with direct links to the most prominent opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado. This would be a major development.
Since 2014, there have been more than 18,000 politically motivated arrests under the government of Nicolas Maduro, and the detentions increased significantly after presidential elections in July 2024, when the opposition was on course for a landslide win.
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There was also a wave of politically motivated arrests the last time the opposition gathered for a rally, on 8 January 2025.
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Now, exactly one year later, there is a breakthrough for some of those being held.
The release of prisoners, particularly around holidays, is quite regular in Venezuela.
But the announcement of the releases so shortly after Ms Rodriguez was sworn into office would seem to be indicating a change in course for the government, and sends a positive message to Venezuelans and of course, the US and President Trump.
