The death of Alfredo Díaz, former Venezuelan governor and opponent of the regime of Nicolas Madurowhich occurred while he was in custody in The Helicoidhas once again placed the detention conditions in Chavismo’s prison centers at the center of international denunciation. While the authorities of Venezuela They assure that the death occurred due to a heart attackrelatives and people close to Díaz maintain that was a victim of medical negligence and abandonmentin a context of confinement that, according to human rights organizations, is characterized by isolation, inhumane conditions and lack of adequate care.
On Saturday, the Venezuelan NGO Criminal Forum denounced the death in prison of Díaz, former governor of Nueva Esparta 56 years old, who had been imprisoned for more than a year under isolation.
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Gonzalo Himiobvice-president of the Penal Forum, told The Commerce that Diaz He was held in “very precarious conditions. “He was not allowed to go out in the sun and he was not allowed the medical treatments he needed.”
He added that Authorities have only allowed one visit from her daughter since her arrest.
Alfredo Díaz was governor of Nueva Esparta and was 56 years old.
Supporters of Alfredo Díaz, opposition leader who died in prison, carry his coffin during his funeral on Isla Margarita, Venezuela, on December 8, 2025. (Photo by Giam León / AFP).
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On Sunday, the Venezuelan Penitentiary Service confirmed the death and assured that it was the result of a heart attack.
“On Saturday, December 6, 2025, at approximately 06:33 hours, the citizen Alfredo Javier Diaz He showed symptoms compatible with a myocardial infarction (…) he was transferred to the University Clinical Hospital; where he entered and when trying to stabilize him, unfortunately he died minutes later,” the entity said in a statement.
The daughter of the former governor, Daliannys Diazstated that his father had health problems at the time of his arrestwhich occurred on November 24, 2024.
“When they stop him, They were (told) that they should have treatment and they ignored it“In a year and days they killed him, my father suffered daily consequences such as fainting, lack of oxygen, severe chest pain, he even had convulsions,” he explained in a video posted on TikTok.
Alfredo Díaz was detained by officials of the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN) in the state Portuguese.
The politician had questioned the official results that gave victory to Nicolas Maduro in the elections of July 28 of that year. The Prosecutor’s Office accused him of “inciting hatred” and “terrorism”.
Gonzalo Himiob told this newspaper that Díaz had already been formally accused, but his trial was paralyzed.
After the last presidential elections, More than 2,000 people were detained by Maduro’s repressive regime. Of them, six have died in prison, including Díaz, according to the records of the Penal Forum.
In total, Since 2014, 17 political prisoners have died in Venezuelan prisons.
In its last update on December 4, The Penal Forum put the number of political prisoners in the Caribbean country at 887.
The Venezuelan political scientist Luis Nunes he told The Commerce that before his arrest Díaz was on alert for a possible arrest, so he would have tried to leave the country through the border with Colombia when he was intercepted by the SEBIN in the Portuguese state.
“He was detained and kept hidden for a time. His family did not know where he was”says the interviewee. It was later confirmed that he was being held in The Helicoid from 2024.
Although the official version has indicated that his death was due to natural causes, Nunes emphasizes that his family environment and sectors of the opposition have questioned that explanation and denounce that The conditions of confinement and possible mistreatment would have seriously deteriorated his physical condition.
Nunes points out that Díaz’s case must be taken into account by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the investigation it has open against Maduro. He also notes that the United States Department of State has already taken note of the issue.
The interviewee maintains that with respect to the political prisonersthe Chavista regime maintains a pattern that responds to a logic of “revolving doors”: He releases some detainees as a political gesture or bargaining chip, while arresting others almost immediately.
He adds that the negotiations with the Maduro regime have not resulted in the improvement of the detention conditions of political prisoners, on the contrary, “There is a progressive deterioration in the conditions of the detainees. The situation is worse than ever.”
Nunes announced that it is planned that María Corina Machado, when he receives the Nobel Peace Prize this December 10 in Oslo,border in his speech the situation of political prisoners and make visible complaints about arbitrary arrests and inhumane prison conditions.
Who was Alfredo Díaz?
Alfredo Díaz had been in prison for more than a year.
Alfredo Diaz Figueroa He spent most of his political career in New Sparta. Born in the Margaret Islandhe trained in tourism business administration at the Universidad de Oriente and took his first steps in public life from the municipal level, linked to the party Democratic Actionone of the country’s historic parties.
His political rise began as a municipal councilor Marine and then as mayor of that jurisdiction, which includes Porlamar, one of the main commercial and tourist centers of Margarita. From that position he consolidated local leadership based on the management of public services and its critical speech against the centralism of the government of Hugo Chávez first and Nicolás Maduro later. He was re-elected as mayor in 2013, which reinforced his regional projection.
In 2017, Alfredo Díaz made the leap into national politics when he was elected governor of Nueva Esparta. His victory was interpreted as a sign of the opposition’s advance in key regions of the country, especially in a context of high political polarization.
During his administration he maintained a position of institutional confrontation with Chavismodenouncing budget cuts, failures in basic services and obstacles for regional administration. His mandate was extended until 2021.
After leaving the governorship, Díaz continued to be active as a critical voice of the Maduro Government. In 2024 he regained visibility after publicly questioning the political conditions of the country and the elections of July 28 of that year. Months later he was arrested by the SEBIN and detained in The Helicoid.
What is the feared El Helicoide like?
General view of the El Helicoide building, headquarters of the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN) in Caracas, taken on July 28, 2023. (Photo by Yuri CORTEZ / AFP).
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The Helicoid It is one of the most symbolic and feared buildings in Caracas. The striking building is located in the Roca Tarpeya area, southwest of the city.
The enormous concrete building, in the shape of spiralwas conceived in the 1950s as a modern mall. Its helical design would allow vehicles to climb ramps to different levels. However, the project never materialized and ended up abandoned.
Starting in the 1980s, the State began to use it for security and intelligence purposes, until it later became the SEBIN main headquarters.
At its lowest levels one of the most questioned detention centers in the country operates: an unofficial prison which, according to human rights organizations, houses political prisoners, dissident military, activists, students and opponents of the Maduro government.
He Helicoid It is a mass of reinforced concrete, with narrow hallways, areas without adequate ventilation and poor lighting. Complaints from former detainees describe small cells, some without windows, isolation spaces and overcrowded conditions. Several areas of the building were not designed to be inhabited, which aggravates the precariousness of the prison infrastructure.
The NGOs Foro Penal, Provea, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have denounced that El Helicoide is a center of torture, cruel treatment, prolonged incommunicado detention, interrogations without legal guarantees, lack of medical care and restrictions on access to lawyers and family members.
The Helicoid It does not function as a formal prison of the penitentiary system, but as a detention center under direct control of intelligence agencies.
Political leaders such as former deputy Freddy Superlano, leader Américo de Grazia, human rights defender Rocío San Miguel, opposition member Enzo Scarano, and activist Javier Tarazona, among others, have been held there.
