Seven inmates were killed in a violent prison riot in southern Mexico on Thursday, as inmates armed with guns and knives resisted transfers to other facilities. The incident in Villahermosa, the capital of Tabasco state, also left four police officers and six inmates injured, authorities said.
State police chief Víctor Hugo Chávez reported that officers attempting to transfer two high-risk inmates to a federal penitentiary were met with gunfire upon entering the prison early Thursday. One armed inmate, backed by 20 others, resisted for nearly three hours.
Although Chávez did not confirm whether police fired back at the inmates, he emphasized the need for officers to defend themselves. “Authorities have to act to defend their own lives, too,” he said.
Fires broke out during the clash, adding to the chaos. After regaining control of the prison hours later, authorities discovered an alarming stockpile of weapons, including an assault rifle, five pistols, a hand grenade, 23 machetes, 14 knives, and 23 improvised shivs.
Officials have yet to explain how such a significant cache of firearms and other weapons made its way into the facility. Mexican prisons are notorious for weak oversight and corruption, with some penitentiaries effectively controlled by gangs that extort other inmates.
Outside the prison, crowds of distraught relatives gathered, demanding information about their loved ones. Tensions ran high as families feared the worst for those inside.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on Friday that the incident would be thoroughly investigated. “We need to determine if there was collusion, if the operation was carried out correctly, and how these weapons were allowed into the prison,” she said.
Mexican prisons, plagued by systemic corruption and lax security measures, have long been flashpoints for violence. This riot underscores the urgent need for reform in a system where criminal gangs frequently wield significant power behind bars.
