Blog #9: Venezuelan Inmates holding Hostages.

Keyvette Oliver
October 25, 2011
Blog #9
Venezuelan Inmates holding Hostages.

In Caracas, Venezuela, prison inmates took more than 50 guards and other prison staff hostage earlier in the month, but since then have released more than 24 people after a series of negotiations. Prisoners at the Tocuyito prison agreed to free 25 hostages over this past weekend, however 26 hostages still remain. Among these hostages are 22 women, four men, none of which have been harmed. The freed hostages include 17 prison guards and eight administrative employees. The root of this incident is the demand of better prison conditions by the prisoners.

That report was as of Sunday, October 24, 2011. According to another article, since then, prisoners have released 15 more hostages on Monday, October 25, 2011, leaving 12 hostages remaining. Along with better prison conditions, the transfer of some prisoners has been added to the list of demands. Majority of the remaining hostages are women. One factor that is being used as an ‘aide’ in this capture is the over-crowding of dangerous Venezuelan prisons. Apparently, this isn’t new to Venezuelan officials. Prisoners have held hostages before as collateral to getting what they want.

This is a very unfortunate situation. To know that the own prison guards and other faculty are not safe against these dangerous felons should send out a sense of uneasiness among the community. I hope that the 12 remaining hostages are released soon, without any harm, other than the mental and emotional torture they are probably experiencing at this very moment. I couldn’t imagine being held against my will by someone who is capable of murder. I wish the best for all of the hostages and their families.

http://news.yahoo.com/venezuelan-inmates-hold-26-prison-workers-hostage-191333829.html;_ylt=AoO30cxFgvEOJEHKmV_NODW3IxIF;_ylu=X3oDMTRjMWxrdXQ1BG1pdANUb3BTdG9yeSAgV29ybGRTRiBMYXRpbkFtZXJpY2FTU0YEcGtnAzU2MDMxZDM1LTZkYTItM2U1Yy04MjU0LTI0MzIzYzliMzBmZgRwb3MDMTMEc2VjA3RvcF9zdG9yeQR2ZXIDNzViN2Q3ZDAtZmU3Yi0xMWUwLWJmOWItMGNmODU1OThkNjIx;_ylg=X3oDMTIxMWw3M3NuBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdAN3b3JsZHxsYXRpbiBhbWVyaWNhBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25z;_ylv=3
http://news.yahoo.com/venezuelan-inmates-hold-12-hostages-prison-052530274.html;_ylt=AirLe1lap6cdwrZz40K6uCy3IxIF;_ylu=X3oDMTRiNGRzaDUzBG1pdANUb3BTdG9yeSAgV29ybGRTRiBMYXRpbkFtZXJpY2FTU0YEcGtnA2ZkNWEyMmMxLWJmYTYtM2U5ZS04NmE5LTEwNjQ0ODJiODgyMgRwb3MDNARzZWMDdG9wX3N0b3J5BHZlcgMyMDAzNzAyMC1mZWNhLTExZTAtYjdmYi04NmVkZDE3OThiMGM-;_ylg=X3oDMTIxMWw3M3NuBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdAN3b3JsZHxsYXRpbiBhbWVyaWNhBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25z;_ylv=3