Venezuela minister blames media for deadly prison riot

More than 50 deaths and over 90 injured. That is the result of a prison riot in Venezuela, with the high death toll described as “alarming” by the director of the local hospital.

As the battle raged inside familes awaited anxiously beyond the walls, fearing the worst.
The government is furious that its efforts to clamp down on abuses in the jail went so wrong.

“We were surprised that the cell searches we planned throughout the prison were announced on the private TV channel Globovision, social networks, and the webpage of the Diario de L’Impulso. Without any doubt this was responsible for the violence and subsequent riot,” said Prisons minister Iris Varela.

Uribana prison is in the east of the country, and in 2006 was mentioned by name in a critical human rights report. It was designed for 850 inmates, but currently holds 2500. The victims include prison guards and soldiers, but details have not been released.

Copyright © 2013 euronews