Venezuela plan to turn notorious prison into cultural centre scrubs past horrors, critics say

Venezuela plans to transform the notorious El Helicoide prison in Caracas, formerly a failed shopping center turned torture site for political prisoners under Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro, into a cultural center. Acting president Delcy Rodríguez announced the project, framing it as a sign of progress since Maduro's capture. The proposed center would offer sports, cultural, and commercial activities for police families and local communities. However, activists criticize the plan, arguing it attempts to erase the prison's history of repression and rehabilitate a symbol of Venezuela's collapse. They advocate for turning El Helicoide into a memorial site, similar to Argentina's ESMA museum, to acknowledge the past and prevent future abuses.

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