Caracas Chronicles

The Local Dispatch features selected stories from local journalists and media organizations who are reporting news from deep inside Venezuela. These are the types of stories that have no visibility abroad, even when they paint the most accurate picture of what’s actually happening in the country.

The dispatch will be published weekly. Here’s the first issue.

Female inmate dies from severe malnutrition in Venezuelan prison

Deisy Chirinos, a prisoner for seven years, died on September 21 at the National Institute of Female Orientation (INOF), Venezuela’s only women’s prison. Chirinos had spent weeks pleading for a transfer to a hospital, according to the Network of Female Peacemakers, but her requests went unanswered. Lacking family or friends to provide food or assistance, Chirinos succumbed to the dire conditions that plague Venezuela’s prison system, where inmates generally depend on relatives to meet their basic needs.

“INOF inmates endure precarious conditions, with limited access to essential services such as adequate medical care or timely hospital transfers when needed,” the Venezuelan Prison Observatory (OVP) said in a statement following Chirinos’ death. “Many suffer from chronic or terminal illnesses, like Deisy, and do not receive the necessary treatment for recovery. They are often taken to the hospital only when it’s too late. Relatives have also reported violence, abuse, and overcrowding, which jeopardizes the dignity and safety of incarcerated women.”

In May, the OVP labeled INOF a “women’s cemetery” in a special report on the national population of female prisoners. Designed to hold 350 inmates, the facility currently houses 650, doubling its capacity. Women with infants inside the prison are punished by having their children taken away and given to others. Efecto Cocuyo reported that one of INOF’s solitary confinement cells is located outdoors in the middle of a woodland, adding to the harsh conditions. Earlier this month, Kaoru reported that visitors to INOF were subjected to physical abuse during security checks, raising further concerns about the treatment of inmates and their families.

Back to school in gloom

The start of the new school year dominated headlines for all the wrong reasons, as 58 minors, aged 14 to 17, remain in detention and are unable to attend classes, Runrunes reported. These youths were arrested in the aftermath of the presidential election. Despite international outcry, they have been denied access to private legal counsel. Human rights NGO Justicia, Encuentro y Perdón is demanding their immediate release.

Among them is 14-year-old José David Crespo, who was detained alongside his father in Barquisimeto on July 30. His mother claims the boy was tortured by the National Guard. Despite suffering from amoebiasis and having a release order issued in his favor, José David remains imprisoned.

Meanwhile, La Patilla reported alarming conditions in Lara’s public schools, the home state of José David. Schools are plagued by crumbling infrastructure, a lack of basic supplies, overcrowded classrooms, and a severe shortage of teachers. Access to drinking water is another pressing issue. In Barquisimeto, locals have resorted to setting up makeshift classrooms with zinc sheets due to minimal public funding, much of which has been swallowed by corruption.

Teachers, too, are facing increased pressure since the disputed presidential election. They risk being fired or transferred without notice for demanding better pay and working conditions, La Patilla noted. Lara’s Coalition Union of Education Workers has called on the government to protect both active and former teachers, warning that without action, “they will fall off a cliff.” Former Education Minister Yelitze Santaella refused to meet with union representatives, as reported by El Impulso. Per El Carabobeño, Héctor Rodríguez has promised healthcare, uniforms, and scholarships to underpaid teachers, who have long been advocating for better salaries. The average Venezuelan teacher earns $21.57 per month.

Oil spill sends toxic waves along Venezuela’s west coast

As the election fraud was unfolding, Tony reported a massive oil spill in western Carabobo, home to the El Palito refinery and a thermal power plant. The spill has affected coastal communities like Boca de Aroa, just 12 kilometers south of Tucacas, a key ecotourism hub.

Local communal council members told La Mañana that residents have begun experiencing respiratory issues, including coughs and pneumonia, due to the intense, asphalt-like odors emanating from the contaminated waters. “We’re surrounded by environmental pollution caused by the PDVSA oil spill. The smell keeps getting worse,” said Carolina Castillo, a council spokesperson.

The spill is now threatening the Morrocoy National Park, a protected area known for its biodiversity. “The beaches are slick with oil, and you can feel the slime in the water. We’re even finding oil inside fish when we cut them open. Boats and hammocks are stained. Although the current briefly carried the oil away, if the wind changes, it’ll hit Boca de Aroa and the keys again,” a local fisherman told La Patilla reporter Irene Revilla. Despite the escalating environmental damage, both local authorities and PDVSA have remained silent.

Other stories:

• El Nacional: The National Liberation Army (ELN) has an estimated 1,276 guerrillas in Venezuela, mainly concentrated along the Colombo-Venezuelan border. The area is also rife with other non-state groups. Last week, in Cúcuta, armed men carried out a brutal assassination of a Venezuelan rancher, his bodyguard, and his 14-year-old son.
• Radio Fe y Alegría: San Fernando has been experiencing constant blackouts since last Thursday, and a rural community known as El Negrito has endured a full week without electricity.
• Crónica Uno: In celebration of International Beach Day, 700 volunteers worked to clean five beaches in Puerto Cabello. The initiative was led by environmental NGO Fudena.
• El Nacional: Maracaibo rock band R1tval has won the prestigious Nuevas Bandas Festival, a national competition recognizing emerging musical talent. Notably, this year’s event was held in Maracay, marking the first time the festival took place outside of Caracas.