Prisoner of Maduro regime says he was tortured during his detention

Lieutenant Richard Alemán revealed the inhuman tortures he suffered as a political prisoner in a court statement. He claims he was subjected to constant punishments by the officials of the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (DGCIM), Venezuela’s most feared police force.

Alemán testified at the courts in Caracas about the atrocious crimes he was subjected to. “I asked my lawyers to allow me to speak before the court, after hearing what the DGCIM official talked about last hearing,” he said as reported by the Coalition for Human Rights and Democracy.

The lieutenant narrated in great detail the way in which the officers of the security corps abused him both physically and mentally. His statement began on the day of his arrest when he was in a hotel.

#Torturas reveladas en Tribunales
El 1er Teniente (R) Richard Alemán pidió la pabrara en los tribunales de Caracas luego de que en la audiencia pasada reconocieran al funcionario de la Dgcim que los torturó.

"Solicité a mis abogados poder hablar ante el tribunal, luego..#hilo

— Coalición por los Derechos Humanos y la Democracia (@Coalicion_ddhh) November 12, 2021

“I woke up and saw many rifles and officers dressed in black. They came into the room, hit me in the head, beat me, and then took me to the parking lot where the other comrades were. They took us to the DGCIM in Boleita, where we were received by a superior officer. Our faces were covered with folders and adhesive tape,” he began.

“The officer who received us immediately kicked me in the nose and since that moment I have had trouble breathing. I have asked to see a doctor, and so far I have not been seen by a specialist. We were beaten for 19 days. I was beaten all over my body. They performed mechanical asphyxia with balls. They would get on top of me, I went into respiratory arrest. On April 27 I went to the military hospital, and they revived me with a medical procedure. That same day at 3:00 a.m. I was discharged," continues the chilling statement.

“They detained my family”

Although Alemán almost lost his life that day, the torture did not stop.

When he returned to the DGCIM, the beatings continued. "They stripped me naked, bathed me with cold water. They threw me on the floor for 19 days with my hands handcuffed behind my back," he said

Alemán claims that officials recorded him and ordered him to plead guilty for the attempted rebellion against Nicolás Maduro in Puerta Morocha. Aleman is now classified as a terrorist by the Venezuelan regime.

"After I refused to plead guilty they detained my family (sisters, brother-in-law, a cousin); my cousin was released after 30 days and my sisters were kept on their feet from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. for 5 days. They told them to tell what they knew, and they said they knew nothing," he said.

“They raped me with a wooden stick”

On the tenth day, he was taken to the office of the Special Affairs Division (DAE), where he was tortured in the worst possible way. "The torturer inserted a wooden stick into my anus and pulled out my hemorrhoids. This is one of the most horrible things I lived through, and I have asked to be attended to because I still have the hemorrhoids outside and I suffer from that," said the lieutenant.

"These were days of getting my testicles electrocuted, beatings and asphyxiation in water baths," continued Alemán, who said he only wanted to die to end his suffering.

After several months, he was transferred to El Tigrito, a "dark and terrifying" place of detention.

At this point during the statement, the lieutenant stood up in front of the judge to narrate other torture episodes in his new place of detention.

"Judge, it's a 2x2 site. They have a black door that says, 'Danger high voltage.' When you enter you can't move. They give you a 5-liter bottle to pee in there," she said.

He also claimed that the three public defenders extorted him to make him plead guilty and force his family members to sell their property in order to give them money.

"After this, my father died. He died of sadness when he saw his children in prison. Thank God my sisters… can accompany my mom. But we are afraid that because of this statement they will be arrested. We have hope," concluded Alemán.