Plumes of smoke from burning mattresses and bedding rose from the prison in the city of Barinas after inmates managed to climb onto rooftops and other surfaces. According to an AFP reporter on the scene, the inmates hung banners claiming they were being tortured and chanted the same message.
The organization OVP, which advocates for prisoners' rights in the country, states that over a thousand prisoners are taking part in the protest at the prison. Police are said to have surrounded the area.
It is still unclear how the prisoners managed to get onto the roofs and whether anyone was injured in the incident. Activists have criticized conditions in Venezuelan prisons for many years.
