Riot in Ciudad Juárez prison leaves 14 dead and 24 on the run

The Chihuahua State Attorney General’s Office is investigating those responsible for the riot that occurred this Sunday at the Social Reintegration Center 3 in Ciudad Juárez, which caused the death of 10 prison officers and four prisoners, in addition to 13 injured and at least 24 escaped inmates .

This was the second riot in less than half a year at that prison. Last August, prisoners from “Los Mexicles” and “Los Chapos” faced each other inside Cereso number 3, with a balance of three dead and 20 injured. In 2016, on an official visit to our country, Pope Francis went to meet with inmates from that prison. The prison has detainees linked to the Sinaloa and Juárez cartels, although they are divided.

Around 7:00 a.m. this Sunday, subjects with firearms and on board armored vehicles arrived at the Penitentiary Center, where they shot at the security officers.

Minutes before, on Avenida Manuel Gómez Morín, an armed attack against elements of the Municipal Police occurred, in which, after a chase, four men were captured and a Ford Expedition truck was seized. Meanwhile, on Avenida Panamericana, preventive agents repelled the armed aggression of two crew members of a Hummer-type vehicle, who were shot down.

Inside Cereso, several inmates rioted for more than two hours in two areas of the prison, burning mattresses and blankets, and not allowing prison authorities to enter. Several firearms detonations were heard at the site.

Relatives of inmates came to the prison to ask about what happened, and to demand information about their imprisoned relatives.

Authorities retake control

To control the disturbance, elements of the Ninth Motorized Cavalry Regiment and the State Investigation Agency arrived at Cereso 3. For their part, elements of the Municipal Public Security Secretariat carry out searches in several neighboring homes to try to locate the escaped inmates.

Later, the Chihuahua State Attorney General’s Office reported that the situation was under control within the Center for Social Readaptation, for which reason investigations were initiated to determine the balance of what had happened.

“So far, the investigating authority has documented the death of 14 people; among them, 10 prison security and custody officers and 4 people deprived of liberty; In addition, 13 injured and at least 24 escaped, who took advantage of what happened to carry out actions against antagonistic groups”, he highlighted.

Personnel from the Mexican Army, the National Guard, the State Public Security Secretariat and the State Investigation Agency were in charge of the security of the prison, while elements of the Forensic Medical Service and Expert Services carried out the corresponding tasks inside the prison. Ceresus.

“It is important to point out that the actions in the Cereso have been carried out in accordance with the Maximum Alert Protocol, which is contemplated in the National Law of Criminal Execution,” the agency indicated.

jorge.monroy@eleconomista.mx