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| Mexico prison riot leaves 49 dead near Monterrey | Mexico prison riot leaves 49 dead near Monterrey |
| (5 days later) | |
| A battle between rival groups at a prison near Monterrey in northern Mexico has left 49 inmates dead. | A battle between rival groups at a prison near Monterrey in northern Mexico has left 49 inmates dead. |
| Nuevo Leon state Governor Jaime Rodriguez said 12 other people were injured in Topo Chico jail after prisoners fought with "sharp weapons, bats and sticks". | Nuevo Leon state Governor Jaime Rodriguez said 12 other people were injured in Topo Chico jail after prisoners fought with "sharp weapons, bats and sticks". |
| A fire was also started in a storage room. Officials say the situation is under control and no inmates escaped. | A fire was also started in a storage room. Officials say the situation is under control and no inmates escaped. |
| Crowds of relatives outside the jail blocked roads, demanding information. | Crowds of relatives outside the jail blocked roads, demanding information. |
| Some threw sticks and rocks and tried to pull the prison gate open as riot police blocked their way. | Some threw sticks and rocks and tried to pull the prison gate open as riot police blocked their way. |
| "They haven't told us anything," said the mother of one inmate, who gave her name only as Ernestina. | "They haven't told us anything," said the mother of one inmate, who gave her name only as Ernestina. |
| "They said that until there is order they won't let us in. Everything is in disorder, and nobody is telling us anything." | "They said that until there is order they won't let us in. Everything is in disorder, and nobody is telling us anything." |
| The incident comes just days before Pope Francis is due to visit a prison in the northern city of Ciudad Juarez, an area notorious for violence between drugs cartels. | The incident comes just days before Pope Francis is due to visit a prison in the northern city of Ciudad Juarez, an area notorious for violence between drugs cartels. |
| Mr Rodriguez had earlier put the number of inmates killed at 52 before revising the figure down. | Mr Rodriguez had earlier put the number of inmates killed at 52 before revising the figure down. |
| The reason was not made clear, but several inmates are registered more than once at the prison, with different names. | The reason was not made clear, but several inmates are registered more than once at the prison, with different names. |
| Forty of the 49 prisoners have already been identified. | Forty of the 49 prisoners have already been identified. |
| Mr Rodriguez said the fight had started around midnight and lasted 30 to 40 minutes, during which time the two groups of inmates set fire to a storage area. | Mr Rodriguez said the fight had started around midnight and lasted 30 to 40 minutes, during which time the two groups of inmates set fire to a storage area. |
| He said one faction was led by a member of the notorious Zetas drug cartel, Juan Pedro Zaldivar Farias, also known as Z-27. | He said one faction was led by a member of the notorious Zetas drug cartel, Juan Pedro Zaldivar Farias, also known as Z-27. |
| Mr Rodriguez said the other group was led by Jorge Ivan Hernandez Cantu, whom Mexican media identified as a member of the rival Gulf cartel. | Mr Rodriguez said the other group was led by Jorge Ivan Hernandez Cantu, whom Mexican media identified as a member of the rival Gulf cartel. |
| The faction leaders are not among the 40 bodies identified so far. | The faction leaders are not among the 40 bodies identified so far. |
| Mr Rodriguez said all those killed were male inmates and that five of the injured were in a serious condition. | Mr Rodriguez said all those killed were male inmates and that five of the injured were in a serious condition. |
| "We are experiencing a tragedy stemming from the difficult situation that they are living through at penitentiary facilities," Mr Rodriguez told a news conference. | "We are experiencing a tragedy stemming from the difficult situation that they are living through at penitentiary facilities," Mr Rodriguez told a news conference. |
| Speaking later, he said security was being beefed up at other prisons and some inmates had been transferred out of Topo Chico. | Speaking later, he said security was being beefed up at other prisons and some inmates had been transferred out of Topo Chico. |
| He said that although rioters had not had guns, one inmate appeared to have been shot dead by a guard who was protecting a group of women inmates. | He said that although rioters had not had guns, one inmate appeared to have been shot dead by a guard who was protecting a group of women inmates. |
| A report by the National Human Rights Commission in 2014 said the Topo Chico prison housed about 4,600 inmates but was only designed to hold 3,635. | A report by the National Human Rights Commission in 2014 said the Topo Chico prison housed about 4,600 inmates but was only designed to hold 3,635. |
| Topo Chico prison | Topo Chico prison |
| Earlier, state public security spokesman Antonio Arguello told AFP news agency that authorities had quickly formed a security cordon around the facility to ensure no inmates escaped. | Earlier, state public security spokesman Antonio Arguello told AFP news agency that authorities had quickly formed a security cordon around the facility to ensure no inmates escaped. |
| Witnesses reported hearing shouts and explosions when the riot began. Flames and smoke were then seen coming from the prison. | Witnesses reported hearing shouts and explosions when the riot began. Flames and smoke were then seen coming from the prison. |
| Gang violence and break-outs are common in Mexico's notoriously overcrowded and corrupt prison system. | Gang violence and break-outs are common in Mexico's notoriously overcrowded and corrupt prison system. |
| In 2013, 13 people died in a battle between inmates at the La Pila jail in the central state of San Luis Potosi. | In 2013, 13 people died in a battle between inmates at the La Pila jail in the central state of San Luis Potosi. |
| A year earlier, 44 inmates were killed in a riot at the Apodaca prison in Monterrey. Another 30 prisoners escaped. The prison's director was later sacked. | A year earlier, 44 inmates were killed in a riot at the Apodaca prison in Monterrey. Another 30 prisoners escaped. The prison's director was later sacked. |