Caracas, March 29: Venezuela's top prosecutor said 68 people have died in a fire at a police detention facility, where an inmates' rights organization reported an attempted jailbreak. "In light of the terrible events that took place in the Carabobo state police headquarters, where 68 people died in a presumed fire, we have appointed four prosecutors... to clarify these dramatic events," Tarek William Saab said on Twitter yesterday.

Venezuela has faced massive criticism over the past year for jailing thousands of political agitators, following the alleged rigged elections last year.

The International Criminal Court would probe crimes allegedly committed during demonstrations and political unrest since April 2017 against the government of President Nicolas Maduro.

"In particular, it has been alleged that state security forces frequently used excessive force to disperse and put down demonstrations, and arrested and detained thousands of actual or perceived members of the opposition," said ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda.

It will be only the second preliminary examination by the ICC in South America. One is underway in Colombia into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during the conflict with the FARC rebels.

(With inputs from LatestLY Web Desk)