Venezuelan mistaken for criminal and spent seven months in Peru’s largest prison

In Peru, a Venezuelan citizen was mistaken for a criminal and was held for 7 months in Lurigancho prison, the largest prison system in this country.

By: Faces of Venezuela

Guillermo Martín was walking down the street in Chacalcayo (east of Lima) and was stopped by a vehicle filled with police dressed in civilian clothes, a very common practice by the Criminal Investigation Force. They asked him where he was last night. After replying that he was at his residence with his family, a police officer shouted: “He is Venezuelan, he is Chamo, he is Chamo. Chamo it’s you! What did you do, boy?”

The Venactiva organization collected her testimony and explained how she supported Guillermo in this complex situation.

“One officer said ‘Look, it’s the beard, it looks alike’ and then another said to me: ‘What’s happening is there was a robbery and we want to know if it’s you, because you’re very similar. Let’s see,” he said.

Being Venezuelan and arrested without any prior investigation

Martin suffered far from due process and was even called to testify as an accused. No matter how hard he tried to prove his innocence, he could not be stopped from being detained for 15 days.

The worst thing that happened later was that under an order he was sent to Lurigancho prison, the largest prison in all Peru. He stayed there for 7 months.

You can read the full note here Venezuelan faces