In a bold statement, Donald Trump highlighted the existence of a "torture chamber in the heart of Caracas" and claimed that the Venezuelan regime might be shutting it down.
While he did not specifically name the location, many interpreted his remarks as a direct reference to El Helicoide, a feared symbol of the oppressive tactics employed by the Chavista regime.
The former president made this declaration during a speech to Republican lawmakers in Washington, where he once again attacked Nicolás Maduro, labeling him as "violent."
Among the most discussed parts of his address, Trump mentioned that in the Venezuelan capital, there is a site where "people have been tortured" and asserted that "they are closing it down."
His comments reignited international focus on El Helicoide, a building visible from many parts of Caracas, whose mention alone sends shivers down the spines of political prisoners' families, activists, and ex-detainees.
Originally conceived in the 1950s as an ambitious spiral shopping mall, El Helicoide ultimately became the headquarters for the National Bolivarian Intelligence Service (SEBIN) and one of the country's main detention centers.
Under the leadership of Hugo Chávez, and especially Nicolás Maduro, the site became synonymous with arbitrary arrests, harsh interrogations, and prolonged imprisonments.
International bodies such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights have repeatedly documented reports of torture, beatings, electric shocks, sexual threats, isolation, and sleep deprivation within the complex.
A 2020 UN report classified these abuses as potential crimes against humanity, attributing direct responsibility to the Venezuelan state.
Former detainees have described El Helicoide as a "concrete nightmare," where months or even years can pass without natural light, in overcrowded cells with extreme temperatures and unsanitary conditions. This all happens just a short distance from the Miraflores Palace, in plain sight of power.
As of now, there is no official confirmation that El Helicoide has been closed or is in the process of closing, beyond Trump's assertion. Nevertheless, his words have reopened a painful wound for thousands of Venezuelans and those who have long reported the atrocities occurring within its walls.
Key Questions About El Helicoide and Human Rights in Venezuela
What is El Helicoide?
El Helicoide is a building in Caracas initially designed as a spiral shopping mall but later repurposed as a detention center by the Venezuelan intelligence service, SEBIN.
Why is El Helicoide notorious?
El Helicoide is infamous for being a center of arbitrary detentions, torture, and human rights violations under the Venezuelan regimes of Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro.
Has El Helicoide been officially closed?
As of now, there is no official confirmation of El Helicoide's closure, despite claims made by Donald Trump.