""There was always artificial light, always" Armas said, during a rally outside the prison, which has become synonymous with torture. "That makes you feel really anxious and kind of paranoid.""
"I think that El Helicoide should be a museum," said Armas, who was released from the prison in January, following a U.S. raid on Caracas that led to the arrest of former President Nicolas Maduro. "We should never forget what happened here.""
Jesus Armas spent 14 months in El Helicoide, a prison notorious for torture and isolation. He experienced constant artificial lighting and no contact with the outside world, leading to anxiety and paranoia. As Venezuela transitions to democracy, there is debate over the future of El Helicoide. Acting president Delcy Rodriguez proposed converting it into a sports complex, while opposition leaders argue it should be a museum to remember the crimes committed there. El Helicoide's architecture contrasts with its dark history as a site of torture.
Read at www.npr.org
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