Prison problems continue in Brazil as prison workers in Rio strike, and state updates intervention plan

Record ID: 164640

  • Title: Prison problems continue in Brazil as prison workers in Rio strike, and state updates intervention plan
  • Date: 18th January 2017
  • Summary: RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL (JANUARY 18, 2017) (REUTERS) WOMEN WAITING AT BUS STOP (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) RELATIVE OF PRISONER, GEORGINA NASCIMENTO, SAYING: "We are mothers, we are worried with this chaos going on and everyone is at risk with these rebellions going on, and we are left here waiting, with no news." PEOPLE WAITING AT BUS STOP EXTERIOR OF PRISON
  • Embargoed: 1st February 2017 17:58
  • Keywords: Brazil prison riot crime prisons
  • Location: BRASILIA + RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL
  • City: BRASILIA + RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL
  • Country: Brazil
  • Topics: Crime/Law/Justice
  • Reuters ID: LVA0035ZLZYV7
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Prison guards went on strike at a Rio de Janeiro prison on Tuesday (January 17) as the country grapples with a wave of deadly prison riots and the armed forces are preparing for deployment in the penitentiary units.
    Prison inspectors gathered outside the Gericino prison in Bangu in the west of Rio de Janeiro, impeding the entrance of visitors. Fights broke out between inmates in the unit on Wednesday morning, but there was no rebellion of the scale seen in other prisons since the start of the year.
    Brazil has been hit by a wave of deadly gang clashes in prisons in the north and northeast regions of the country since Jan. 1. At least 140 inmates have been killed in the intense violence.
    Prison guard and spokesman for the strike, Antonio de Jesus, said the conditions were dire, with five or six guards to control a unit of 3,500 inmates.
    "Today, within the penitentiary system, we have a phenomenon known as overcrowding, and low effectiveness. The number of inmates in these penitentiary units keeps growing, whilst the number of workers is diminishing, as nobody wants to administer the prison units," said Jesus.
    He clarified that the necessary number of prison guards had been maintained in the prison during the strike, and the main effort was focused on suspended visits to inmates.
    "During our strike, we have maintained the number of inspectors inside the prison units, our strike did not reduce that number in any way, but is impeding the entrance and exit of prisoners (for visits)," said Jesus.
    He said that Wednesday is the most intense day for visits, with an average flux of 2,000 people to the maximum security units.
    President Michel Temer's office said the federal government decided on Tuesday to allow army troops to reinforce security at state prisons if governors made requests. As of late Tuesday afternoon, no governors had requested such help.
    "With respect to the grave problems we are facing today in the country's penitentiary system, we had a very productive dialogue with the defense sectors, with the Armed Forces, and the Armed Forces put themselves a disposition to carry out the inspections in the prisons, because they have great credibility, in first place, and also, great authority," Temer said in Brasilia.
    The soldiers would be limited to inspecting the prisons and confiscating weapons, drugs and other contraband, along with searching visitors entering the facilities. They would avoid any sort of longer-term occupation of penitentiaries.
    President Temer told Reuters in a Monday interview that the government plans to build 30 prisons, hopefully within one year, to ease the severe crowding in Brazil's penitentiaries.
    Brazil's 1,400 prisons - badly overcrowded and for decades the source of sharp criticism for medieval conditions and human rights abuses - are largely under the control of state governments, which seem unable to stop the gang war.
    Relative of prisoners held in Bangu, Gerogina Nascimento, said the situation was very tense for those waiting on the fast-changing fate of their loved ones.
    "We are mothers, we are worried with this chaos going on and everyone is at risk with these rebellions going on, and we are left here waiting, with no news," said Nascimento.
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