An American held at Rodeo Uno, Venezuela's only maximum-security prison, recounted experiences involving false identities and irregular court proceedings. After spending 11 days in a minimal clinic attached to the prison, where even basic medication like ibuprofen was scarce, inmates across from the detainee's cell informed him that the loose sheet outside his door bore a new name: "Jhon Piamond." This name appeared to be fabricated, with "Jhon" being a Venezuelan spelling of "John" and "Piamond" a slight alteration of the detainee's actual surname, "Diamond."
During bed checks, guards called for "Jhon Piamond" and awaited a response from the detainee, though they did not seem confused about his true identity. Other American prisoners held alongside him also knew his real name. Despite this, the prison institution treated the invented name as official.
The detainee also noted that people across from his cell reported the paper outside his cell later read "Joseph St."
He observed changes in the treatment of American prisoners before their release dates, specifically before January 31 and again about a week before May 14, the latter being the date he was told he would be released.
The prison itself was described as having a jury-rigged electrical system with exposed copper wiring.
These accounts were detailed in a report published on August 3, 2026, by Joseph St. Clair for Reason, highlighting the conditions and procedural irregularities inside the Venezuelan political prison.
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