Venezuela prison riot kills eight

A deadly riot in a Venezuelan jail has left at least eight inmates dead and three others injured, as Caracas plans to overhaul the country's prison system.

The unrest erupted on Tuesday night after rival gangs fought for control of cell blocks at the Santa Ana Prison in the western state of Tachira.

According to Venezuela's top prison authority Consuelo Cerrada, National Guard troops have now regained control of the prison.

Violence is common in Venezuela's overcrowded prisons, where fights often break out between rival gangs over the control of cell blocks or the sale of illicit drugs.

Weapons provided by some allegedly corrupt guards are usually used in the fatal attacks.

In 2009 alone, 366 inmates were killed and 635 others wounded in violent incidents affecting many Venezuelan prisons.

A non-governmental group called the Venezuelan Prison Observer says over 32,624 inmates are currently held in Venezuelan jails, which should house only 12,000 prisoners.

The prison crisis in Venezuela has urged the government to plan new rules, which are aimed at improving the humane conditions in jails across the Latin American nation.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=125528§ionid=351020704.