Translated by Alexander Graham
A dispute between two rival groups of inmates on Wednesday in Topo Chico Prison, Nuevo Leon, culminated in 49 dead – 5 of which were burnt to a crisp – and 12 injured, all of whom were prisoners. State reports say the riot began with a confrontation between two rival gangs, both linked to The Zetas Cartel, over control of the prison.
According to reports from the Decentralized Administrative Organ for Prevention and Rehabilitation (OADPRS), the state prison suffers from a 21% overpopulation rate as well as housing key players from three different major criminal groups. This situation only becomes worse when talking about the lack of security: Topo Chico Prison has 250 guards spread over three shifts, when in reality it should have at least 380 to be able to conform to the international standard of one guard per every 10 inmates. These circumstances, combined with a prison where corruption is rife – according to complaints from inmates and their families – resulted in the government losing control over this prison, which has for a long time been a space of abuse, extortion and ill-gotten gains at the mercy of criminal gangs and corrupt officials.
This new case of prison violence highlights the awful reality that a great many of Mexico’s prisons face today: far from being far from being a strong link of public power and the rule of law, the prison system has turned into, in many ways, a repudiation of legality and the clearest example of a legal institution turned criminal organization. One that is characterized by extreme corruption, inequality, injustice, and disdain for both human rights and life itself, and in which the principles of rehabilitation and social reintegration have been replaced by a machine that churns out repeat offenders.
The fact that the number injured during the riot was much less than the number of dead is surprising, usually you find it’s the inverse in these types of incidences. Looking past this oddity, which should be fully investigated and explained by the authorities, the hard facts show that in the last 10 years more than 300 prisoners all over the country have died in prison riots. Overcrowding, ill health, corruption, abuse, and loss of human dignity all form the perpetual backdrop to these deaths and no evidence suggests that the [state and federal] governments are looking to reverse the reality. The question may even be raised about whether, in certain public spheres, there lies the intention to implement a wholly intolerable "social cleansing" policy, similar to the one the last government encouraged, patting themselves on the back as criminals killed each other.
The aforementioned incident brings to light, in such tragic fashion, the enduring inattention of the federal and state governments to the primary function of the prison system: the punishment and subsequent reinsertion of offenders into society. They should likewise change their flawed approach to social justice and relinquish their disdain for the rights of criminals, both proven and alleged.
It is necessary to reverse this trend; the restoration of legality in Mexico demands strict adherence to human rights in every environment, and a government that breaks the laws upon which they are founded drives a country away from the rule of law, and deep into the law of the jungle. Spanish Original
See also:
- Topo Chico Prison Brawl Bloodiest in Recent Years
- Chaos in the Most Overcrowded State Prisons, National Human Rights Commission's National Assessment of Penitentiary Supervision Report for 2014.
- Mexico's Prisons: Out of Control, May 8, 2014
- Women Inmates at Topo Chico Prison Denounce Sexual Slavery, Overcrowding, Violence in Prisons Run by Organized Crime, April 15, 2013
- State and Federal Prisons Lack Trained Staff, Provide Poor Conditions for Inmates, National Assessment of Penitentiary Supervision 2013
- Inmates Controlled Activities in 65 Prisons in 2012 - National Assessment of Penitentiary Supervision 2012