The Venezuelan singer “Rsiete” is a mysterious figure. A full view of his face is nowhere to be found on social media — he is always seen wearing a balaclava, covering all but his eyes, even when he sings in his music videos. His newest song, released on February 29, is about imprisonment. The song was promoted as coming “directly from the prison in Venezuela.”

Rsiete, whose real name is Néstor Richardi Sequera Campos, does not only sing about imprisonment. He lives it. And, for years, Sequera Campos, also known as “Richardi” or “El Papa,” was the pran, or criminal leader, who controlled the Tocuyito prison in the northern state of Carabobo.

There, from behind prison walls, he used his criminal power to launch an international reggaeton career. But Richardi’s tale — and his success — tells a bigger story: that of a unique moment in Venezuela’s prison criminal dynamic, which, according to the official narrative, has come crashing to an end.

How Venezuela’s Prison System Fueled a Reggaeton Star’s Career | Written by the Venezuela Investigative Unit, and read by Liza Schmidt.

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