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Guatemalan Prison Riot
Some 1,000 prisoners of Pavocinto penitentiary near Guatemala City who took over the prison grounds on April 11, 1993, allowed authorities back in on April 13, 1993, after a 30 hour standoff. In exchange, the government promised that living conditions in the prison would be improved. Nine prisoners escaped, five were killed and 25 people were wounded during the riots. During negotiations with Guatemala's vice minister of the interior, the national police chief and the national penitentiary system director, the prisoners made about 12 demands which included a stop to physical abuse and corruption in the prison. The prisoners accused prison employees of selling food which was brought to them by their friends and family [ Editors Note: the practice in most Latin American countries is that prisoners families must feed and clothe the prisoners, the government does not do so. ], and demanded guarantees that the food would reach them. Responding to another prisoner demand, officials promised to investigate the death of an inmate who was beaten by guards seeking information on the escape of nine other prisoners on April 10, 1993.
-Weekly News Update
-Weekly News Update
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