El Helicoide remains operational, Venezuelan NGO states, contradicting U.S. claims

The Venezuelan NGO Justicia, Encuentro y Perdón (JEP) has issued a clarification to the international community, asserting that the El Helicoide detention center in Caracas remains operational and has not been permanently closed.

This statement directly contradicts claims made by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who had announced the Venezuelan government's definitive closure of the controversial facility. JEP's monitoring systems and updated records indicate that at least 25 political prisoners are still being held within El Helicoide.

The NGO emphasized that international declarations should be verified against the reality faced by those affected. "Behind every number are families who are still waiting for answers today; therefore, it is not possible to consider a space closed as long as citizens are deprived of their liberty inside it," JEP stated in its release.

JEP formally urged multilateral organizations and the international community to maintain strict monitoring of the Venezuelan situation with rigorous fact-checking. They also demanded full transparency from Venezuelan authorities about the building's actual status and priority attention to the legal situation of the 25 detainees.