Prisoners STARVE to death in Venezuela's jails as country's economic collapse sees food and medicine run out

  • Shocking images show emaciated prisoners in a jail in central Venezuela
  • Starving inmates seen begging for help from the outside world in a video
  • Venezuela gripped by economoc crisis ever since fall in global oil prices

By Julian Robinson for MailOnline

Published: 06:32 EST, 10 October 2016 | Updated: 07:56 EST, 10 October 2016

These shocking images show how prisoners are starving to death in Venezuela's jails as food and medicine continues to run out amid economic collapse in the country.

Video smuggled out of a jail at San Juan de los Morros, in the central Guarico region of Venezuela, show emaciated inmates struggling to survive.

With the country in the grip of a crippling economic crisis, starving prisoners can be seen standing in line and begging for help from the outside world.

Shocking images show how prisoners are starving to death in Venezuela's jails as food and medicine continues to run out amid economic collapse in the country

Shocking images show how prisoners are starving to death in Venezuela's jails as food and medicine continues to run out amid economic collapse in the country

Video smuggled out of a jail at San Juan de los Morros, in the central Guarico region of Venezuela, show emaciated inmates struggling to survive

Video smuggled out of a jail at San Juan de los Morros, in the central Guarico region of Venezuela, show emaciated inmates struggling to survive

Venezuela's economy is in a tailspin, with shortages of items from disinfectant to chemotherapy drugs crippling the health sector and leaving 30 million citizens struggling to access basic medical care.

Food queues, hyperinflation and mass looting have been part of daily life since a fall in global oil prices left its economy on its knees.

The prison footage was reportedly filmed by inmate Franklin Paul Hernandez Quezad.

One prisoner was said to be so weak he had to be lifted into a chair to be filmed.

One prisoner has reportedly died from starvation and disease at the jail in central Venezuela

One prisoner has reportedly died from starvation and disease at the jail in central Venezuela

The prison footage was reportedly filmed by inmate Franklin Paul Hernandez Quezad and shows men lining up to beg for help

The prison footage was reportedly filmed by inmate Franklin Paul Hernandez Quezad and shows men lining up to beg for help

One of the men says to the camera: 'Look at me, look at the state we are in, we need medicine in order to survive'

One of the men says to the camera: 'Look at me, look at the state we are in, we need medicine in order to survive'

Another is said to have died from starvation and disease. 

One of the men says to the camera: 'Look at me, look at the state we are in, we need medicine in order to survive.'

Another inmate in what appears to be a wheelchair also asks for medicine: 'We are all human beings and we need a second chance.'

And the third echoes the sentiment saying: 'Please, don't leave us to die in here, help us brothers. We do not want to die.'

Images also show prisoners being given food at the jail in central Venezuela

Images also show prisoners being given food at the jail in central Venezuela

Outraged relatives of the inmates have demanded that authorities step in to investigate

Outraged relatives of the inmates have demanded that authorities step in to investigate

The person recording the video says: 'The media needs to know what is happening here.'

There are claims in local media that Venezuelan police had apparently blocked deliveries of food, medicine and water to the prison.

The allegations have caused outrage with prisoners' relatives who have asked the authorities to step in. 

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