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At least 25 dead in clashes at Venezuelan prison Venezuelan prison clashes leave 29 inmates dead
(32 minutes later)
At least 25 inmates have died after clashes broke out at a jail inside a Venezuelan police station, according to a rights group. At least 29 inmates have died after clashes broke out at a prison inside a Venezuelan police station, authorities have said.
At least 20 police officers were wounded, Una Ventana a la Libertad said. Oscar Valero, public security chief for Portuguesa state, said at least 19 police officers were wounded.
The jail, in Acarigua, is designed to hold 250 people but currently has around 540 inmates, the Venezuelan Prison Observatory said. He said the violence broke out when police special forces (FAES) tried to stop a "massive" break-out.
Police said grenades were detonated during the incident. The jail, in Acarigua, is designed to hold 250 people but currently has around 540, rights groups said.
Oscar Valero, citizen security officer for Portuguesa state, told reporters that there was an "attempted escape" and a fight "among rival gangs". Mr Valero told reporters that police officers had faced "a hail of gunfire" and that inmates detonated grenades in Friday's incident.
Humberto Prado from the Venezuelan Prisons Observatory rights group told Reuters news agency: "How is it that there was a confrontation between prisoners and police, but there are only dead prisoners? And if the prisoners had weapons, how did those weapons get in?" A prisoners' rights group, Una Ventana a la Libertad, said the clashes broke out when officers tried to rescue visitors who had been taken hostage by inmates on Thursday.
Mr Prado said that the violence broke out when authorities entered the block to carry out searches and remove female visitors. "This morning (authorities) sent the FAES and there was a clash," director Carlos Nieto told AFP news agency.
Venezuela has had a number of violent prison clashes in recent years. In March 2018, 68 inmates died in a fire at a police jail. "The detainees had weapons, they shot at the police. Apparently they also detonated two grenades."
However, Humberto Prado from the Venezuelan Prisons Observatory rights group said the clashes broke out when authorities entered the block to carry out searches and remove female visitors.
He told Reuters news agency: "How is it that there was a confrontation between prisoners and police but there are only dead prisoners? And if the prisoners had weapons, how did those weapons get in?"
Venezuela has seen a number of violent prison clashes in recent years. In March 2018, 68 inmates died in a fire at a police jail.
In August 2017, at least 37 people were killed when a riot broke out in a prison in southern Venezuela.In August 2017, at least 37 people were killed when a riot broke out in a prison in southern Venezuela.