From mall to torture site: Venezuela debates El Helicoide prison's future - NPR
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Venezuela is debating the future use of El Helicoide, a former prison and symbol of state violence.
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El Helicoide, a former shopping mall in Caracas that was converted into a prison and became notorious as a torture site under Venezuelan rule, is now the subject of debate over its future. The spiral-shaped building, which operated as a detention facility where political prisoners and dissidents were allegedly held and abused, represents a dark chapter in Venezuela's recent history. Venezuela's government and civil society groups are discussing what should happen to the facility—whether it should be preserved as a memorial, demolished, or repurposed. The debate reflects broader tensions over how Venezuela confronts its authoritarian past and treats sites associated with human rights violations. El Helicoide has become a symbol of state repression and remains a focal point in Venezuela's reckoning with its governance record.
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