Inside Venezuela's Unbelievable Prison Makeover: Inmate-Built Swimming Pools and Fine Dining

The Venezuelan government extended an invitation to journalists to visit the Tocoron Penitentiary Center in Aragua state on Saturday. This comes shortly after security forces successfully regained control of the prison, which had long been dominated by criminal gangs. The Tocoron prison, known as one of the largest in the country, had been directly controlled by inmates, particularly those affiliated with the notorious transnational criminal gang Tren de Aragua (Train of Aragua), named after the state where the prison is situated, as reported by the Venezuelan Information Ministry.

Venezuelan security forces, comprising of the Army and National Guard, carried out a large-scale operation on Wednesday to retake control of the prison grounds. The operation involved over 11,000 personnel. Interior Minister of Venezuela, Remigio Ceballos, described the operation as a "resounding success." In a media tour on Saturday, Ceballos revealed that security forces had apprehended 80 top-ranking members of the Tren de Aragua gang after taking over the prison.

Ceballos refuted claims made by the media regarding the government's negotiation with gang leaders prior to the operation. "The leadership group of the notorious Tren de Aragua has been completely dismantled. They no longer exist," he stated in an interview with CNN en Espanol.

Venezuela Minister of the Interior and Justice, Admiral Remigio Ceballos, speaks during a press conference in the Tocoron prison in Aragua State, Venezuela, on September 23.

Photographs of the prison raid revealed that journalists, including a team from CNNe, were given a tour of the facilities where inmates had constructed a swimming pool and multiple restaurants. Additionally, officials shared visuals of the weapons confiscated from the prisoners, which included automatic rifles, machine guns, and a considerable stockpile of ammunition.

According to the Venezuelan Information Ministry, numerous prisoners were relocated to alternate correctional facilities following the operation. Nevertheless, the assertions made by the inmates' families contradict these reports, as they assert not having had any communication with their incarcerated relatives since the commencement of the operation. "Since this entire ordeal began on Wednesday, I haven't received any news," expressed Claribel Rojas, sister of a Tocoron prison inmate, during an interview with CNNe on Saturday. "I have come here yesterday and today, but nobody provides any information."

It is not unusual for gangs to control prisons in Venezuela, but the Tocoron Penitentiary stands out as being particularly infamous within the country. Over the past few years, it has come to represent the Venezuelan government's inability to regain control. The Tren de Aragua, the most formidable criminal group in Venezuela, has extended its activities to Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Argentina, as per the US State Department.