The Venezuelan Government has regained control of the Tocorón Penitentiary Centre, a facility that boasted hotel-like facilities including a pool, baseball field, nightclub, and a zoo. It was infamously run by inmates and doubled as the headquarters of the country’s most powerful gang.

In a civil-military-police coordination mission called ‘Operation Gran Cacique Guaicaipuro’, led by sector vice president for citizen security, Remigio Ceballos, on Wednesday, September 20, over 11,000 security personnel were deployed.

Ceballos, speaking at a press conference following the operation, praised the success of the mission, emphasising its alignment with President Nicolás Maduro’s vision and the Great Quadrants of Peace Mission’s efforts to strengthen the country’s penitentiary system.

Furthermore, Ceballos underscored the operation’s commitment to upholding human rights, stating: “We have executed a meticulous liberation operation that ensures the protection and extraction of inmates in accordance with international standards. We have achieved this in close collaboration with all security agencies, guaranteeing a total, successful, and clean process.”

The Bolivarian National Guard, the Scientific, Criminal and Criminal Investigation Corps (Cicpc), and various intelligence agencies of the Venezuelan State played a crucial role in the operation. Ceballos expressed gratitude for their efforts and emphasised the government’s determination to bring to justice all individuals involved in criminal activities, especially those responsible for the prison’s previous conditions.

Additionally, the minister of popular power for interior relations, justice, and peace, disclosed plans for a transformation process within the prison facility. This process will adapt the prison to the new penal regime, ensuring the rights of those incarcerated are respected. Those deprived of liberty will be transferred to one of the 85 already suitable centres for identification through fingerprints. This move aims to align with international protocols and further guarantee the safety of the surrounding communities.

During the operation, authorities uncovered a significant cache of weapons, ammunition, technological equipment, and cell phones. This discovery is expected to dismantle the criminal gang that previously operated from within the prison facility, with international reach through the so-called “Aragua Train”.