Venezuelan Vista Hermosa Prison: The Oligarchic Community Within Hell

Brizuela, who is serving for kidnapping and murder, believes his hold on Vista Hermosa’s 1,400 “residents” is more humane than that of Venezuelan prisons.

The head of the prison community and his sons fry meat for themselves and their visitors. Since the inmates have taken control of the prison, they have the opportunity to prepare their own food.

His name is Wilmer Brizuela — Vilmito for friends, but for Vista Hermosa prisoners he is simply Pran, the unquestioning leader of one of Venezuela’s most brutal prisons. Outside its walls, the Venezuelan National Guard patrols the perimeter. Inside, prisoners live and die in a world of their own laws.

Brizuela’s daughter celebrates her 15th birthday in prison

All prisoners and their families were invited to the party, in total there were more than 2,000 guests at the party

Wilmer Brizuela teaches another inmate boxing at the prison gym

The prison authorities have allowed journalists to visit prisoners on several occasions over the past few years. Photojournalist Sebastian List became one of these visitors. He received permission to visit the prison for more than a week. As a result of his stay, the photographer managed to capture unique shots from the life of the prisoners.

Drug addicts and those who break the unwritten rules imposed by prisoners controlled by Vista Hermosa live in an area known as La Guerrilla

One of the prison managers patrols the prison

Prisoners make homemade pipes for smoking from all kinds of scrap materials.

Prisoners make drugs

Vista Hermosa Prison

Brizuela, who is serving a 10-year sentence for kidnapping and 16 years for murder, believes his hold on Vista Hermosa’s 1,400 “residents” is more humane than that of Venezuelan prisons. Prison governors have repeatedly been convicted of human rights violations, poor living conditions and corruption in the country’s prisons. Banditry is rampant. People who oppose mistreatment of convicts are often intimidated and openly threatened.

Vista Hermosa Prison

Vista Hermosa Prison was built in the 1950s, originally designed for 650 people, but now there are about twice as many prisoners. As the number of prisoners grew, clashes between prisoners and guards became more frequent. The guards were simply unable to cope with arbitrariness and increased criminality. Since there was no possibility of expanding and resettling some of the prisoners in other prisons, the authorities allowed them to fight the lawlessness in prisons by any means, which only increased the chaos.

Families of visitors during a celebration in the prison. In September 2008, the government allowed families to visit prisoners. This is how the authorities tried to smooth out the conflict.

Prisoners gather at sports fields to rap

A child flies a kite in front of the security post of the Bolivarian National Guard. The National Guard is responsible for ensuring security in Venezuelan prisons

Prisoner’s wife in her room during a weekend visit

Wilmer Brizuela, boxing champion, and his group took control of Vista Hermosa by force in 2005. Drug use and violence are still widespread but tightly controlled. “We were able to achieve peace, and we are keeping it under control with all our might,” says Brizuela.

Prisoners sleep on the roofs of the prison. Vista Hermosa Prison was designed to hold 650 inmates, but currently has over 1,400 inhabitants.

Music can be heard in the evenings and on weekends in every corner of the prison. Hip-hop and reggae are the most popular genres

A 9mm pistol and an iPhone 5 belonging to one of the inmates lie on the couch in the living room of one of the prison leaders.

Private cabin with beds, roof, air conditioning and TV. These services are available to these men because they paid the prison authorities about $ 10 each.

Prisoners are free to practice their religion in prison. Most prisons have a chapel, and Christianity plays an important role in the life of a criminal society

Vista Hermosa during visiting hours is very similar to an ordinary slum. During this time, there are many vendors on the street selling DVDs, medical supplies and snacks. The prison even has a dancing area and a place for parties and any kind of official events. In these areas, visits by women and children are not limited, the iron bars have been removed and the walls have been painted with fresh paint.

Prisoners are forced to sleep anywhere in the prison due to overcrowding

Prisoners smoke drugs

Portrait of a prisoner. Over the years in prison, he has many scars and tattoos.

The prison, like any society, has different subcultures. There are Christian evangelists who call themselves varones, they live according to the same rules as everyone else, but at the same time they observe religious laws. They pray, work and sing, just as they do when they are free. Gay prisoners have their own neighborhoods where they can live without fear of persecution. Vista Hermosa represents Venezuela itself in miniature. Holidays and tragedies, never-ending fun and despair are combined here in a contradictory manner.

Prisoners dance with the girls during weekend visits. In the background, an armed member of the prison board guards them.

Gang members conduct routine checks in jail

Dozens of drug addicts take all kinds of narcotic drugs, from cigarettes to “hard” drugs. Addicts live in their neighborhood, in hammocks on piles of rubbish. Men serving time for sex offenses also live in a separate area, far from other prisoners. There is a separate area where prisoners who have violated the unwritten code of the Vista Hermosa prison live, they are under brutal armed guard.

Unconventional prisoners leave their neighborhoods only in exceptional cases. Ezekiel, aka Maritza, hopes to one day become a model

Prisoners rally on the roof of the prison, demanding their transfer to the capital, the city of Caracas

Prisoners from La Guerrilla

Prisons such as Vista Hermosa, according to Brizuel, bring the country about $ 3 million a year. The income comes from illegal activities and weekly taxes that are paid on prisoners. Of course, life in prison would not be possible without the help of corrupt officials who encourage drugs and weapons in prison.