xi. On July 2, 2012, the authorities of the Prisons Department raided the penitentiary center with the help of officers of the National Guard and the Grupo de Reacción Inmediata de Custodios (GRIC). The information provided by the authorities to the media reveals that the purpose of the intervention was to "regain control over the prison" and that "the measure was adopted since female prisoners had been kidnapped in Cellblocks 1 and 2 for 11 days”. Moreover, relatives of the inmates reported that “the guards entered with 6 tanks, as well as firefighter trucks, State police and rescue workers"; xii. On July 4, 2012, the authorities informed that 3 officers were injured and that “they d[id] not know the number of inmates who died at Cellblock 3, since they were unable to gain access to it"; xiii. On July 5, 2012, the media reported that through “telephone communication”, the inmates confirmed they were ready to "start a dialog with the Archbishop of Merida, [...] in order to reach an agreement and avoid a massacre at Andina Region Penitentiary Center (CEPRA)”. The media also cited the inmates’ denunciation that the "situation of almost 600 inmates is extremely drastic due to the onslaught of firing by the officers of the National Guard, whose objective is to massacre the inmates". In addition, they mentioned that “there are several injured people, including women; some of whom have had miscarriages as a result of the climate of tension in which they find themselves"; in turn, there are "between 4 and 5 people who were shot and died” inside the facility; xiv. On July 6, 2012, there was talk of the death and removal of the bodies of at least 3 inmates who were shot multiple times and 3 military officers who were injured; xv. On July 7, 2012, a new incident took place between guards and inmates, resulting in another 5 dead and 3 injured inmates. Moreover, the petitioners and the media indicated that 2 inmates had to be transferred to the hospital in a serious state of dehydration: one of them died the following day, given the alleged lack of food and water in the prison due to the conflict between inmates and guards that lasted more than 15 days; xvi. On July 12, 2012, the security forces tried again to raid the prison in order to allegedly rescue 700 inmates that were taken hostage. On that day, another confrontation took place and one inmate was injured; xvii. On July 13, 2012, there were new confrontations between the guards and the detainees, resulting in 2 inmates injured; xviii. On July 14, 2012, it was informed that 3 more inmates died in a shooting inside the prison; xix. On July 15, 2012, the Security Director of the Ministry of the Penitentiary Service confirmed to the media that "320 inmates and 57 female prisoners remained confined in Cellblock 3 of that facility", which was under the control of inmates; xx. On July 17, 2012, another inmate death was reported; 3