Trump says Venezuelan "torture chamber" is being closed after Maduro's capture; former prisoners detail abuses
President Donald Trump is publicly claiming that a notorious "torture chamber" in the Venezuelan capital is being closed – nearly 72 hours after the controversial capture of Nicolás Maduro and his wife by U.S. forces.
Trump's remarks were part of a broader address about the U.S. operation in Venezuela, in which he described what he said was an effort to shut down the brutal detention facility.
Description aligns with El Helicoide
While the president did not specifically name the building, his description matches El Helicoide, a spiraling structure in central Caracas that human rights groups and former detainees have long documented as a site of political repression, torture and other abuses.
Two South Florida men who were held inside the prison – one for nearly three years and the other for more than 18 months – told CBS News Miami that there was no due process in their cases.
Former detainees describe harsh conditions
Roberto Marrero, a former Venezuelan political prisoner and ex-chief of staff to interim opposition leader Juan Guaidó, said he spent 18 months at the facility.
"The Helicoide became a symbol of terror, of the power of the dictatorship," Marrero told CBS News Miami, describing his time in detention there.
He said his arrest in March 2019 was aimed at dismantling Guaidó's team.
"Maduro decided to put me in jail to disassemble the team," Marrero said.
Inside, he described a tiny, windowless cell – barely larger than his bed — where prisoners spent long stretches with little contact with the outside world.
"When you go to bed, your bed is a king size; all my room is the size of your king size bed," Marrero recalled.
Rights groups cite systemic abuses
Amnesty International and other rights organizations have documented widespread reports of arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, torture, and other serious human rights violations inside El Helicoide.
Originally designed as a shopping mall in the 1950s, the structure was later taken over by Venezuelan authorities and turned into a detention center, especially under Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro, who used it to hold political prisoners and dissidents.
Another former detainee, Eligio Cedeño – a banker incarcerated there in 2007 and released in 2009 – described conditions in Spanish, saying guards subjected prisoners to "physical, psychological, moral, and familial torture."
Trump cites closure effort in remarks
In his remarks, President Trump said, "They have a torture chamber in the middle of Caracas that they're closing up."
The statement reflects a narrative pushed by the administration about human rights abuses under Maduro's rule.
When asked directly about the closure, Marrero expressed optimism that El Helicoide would indeed be shut down and that political prisoners would be freed.
"Of course, I believe they are going to close Helicoide and all the political prisoners are going to be released; I'm sure about it," Marrero said.
No formal confirmation from opposition
But as of now, officials aligned with Venezuela's interim government have not publicly confirmed any formal order to close El Helicoide or release all political detainees – suggesting that what happens next may differ from rhetoric in Washington.
El Helicoide's reputation as one of Latin America's most infamous detention sites predates the most recent political crisis. The structure's spiral design and dramatic history have made it emblematic of Venezuela's broader human rights challenges, which include arbitrary detentions, torture allegations, and lack of fair judicial processes – concerns repeatedly documented by international observers.
Advocates call for accountability measures
As the situation unfolds, former prisoners and rights advocates say symbolic closures alone are not enough without accountability and independent oversight to ensure abuses truly end.