It was meant to be a testament to Venezuela’s promising future as an oil-rich nation on the rise, an architectural wonder called the Helicoide spiraling around a massive rock in the center of Caracas.
Today, it is a notorious prison where the United Nations says political prisoners have been held for years and tortured under the regime of strongman Nicolás Maduro, who was captured in a U.S. raid last weekend and renditioned to New York to face trial.
🚨This account from a Venezuelan security guard loyal to Nicolás Maduro is absolutely chilling—and it explains a lot about why the tone across Latin America suddenly changed.
Security Guard: On the day of the operation, we didn't hear anything coming. We were on guard, but… pic.twitter.com/392mQuakYV
— Mike Netter (@nettermike) January 10, 2026
h/t Mauser
