New Chile prison riot exposes overcrowding crisis

More than 30 inmates and prison guards have been injured during a riot at a jail in northern Chile.

The latest violence is exposing a deep crisis in the country’s prisons. Earlier this month there was an outcry over conditions after a fire killed more than 80 inmates. At least two hunger strikes have been reported in other jails.

This time the trouble broke out at a prison in Antofagasta, a port city more than a thousand kilometres north of the capital Santiago.

It kicked off as around a hundred prisoners held a demonstration in solidarity with the fire’s victims.

At least four of those injured were taken to hospital. Six members of the security forces were slightly hurt.

Following the fire at the San Miguel jail in Santiago two weeks ago, President Sebastian Piñera vowed to reform what he called Chile’s “shameful and inhumane” prisons.

The jail had nearly 2000 inmates, more than double its official capacity. The authorities say Antofagasta prison also suffered from severe overcrowding.

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