In the early morning of April 1st, a jail-break happened at the San Juan detention cell of the Scientific Investigation Police in Barquisimeto, Lara state. According to the police newsletter, 15 prisoners escaped.
So far, two prisoners have been recaptured while two detectives and one escapist been injured during the escape.
The prisoners cut three window bars and fled through the ventilation duct of the cell. Robert Jimenez Principal and Wiyes Marcano Santana were recaptured by the wounded officer. Marcano was shot in the left leg, and he is accused of hurting one of the detectives with an ice pick.
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The jail cell has 63 prisoners in overcrowding conditions. The San Juan detention center has 150 prisoners confined in two dungeons made it for only 30 people.
Eleven of the 15 escapees have been in detention since 2017, accused of robbery, theft, homicide, and illegal carrying of weapons. The Venezuelan criminal justice system is notoriously slow, and jails badly overcrowded as a result.
