Violent drug cartel war kills 52 inside Mexican prison
A battle between the notorious Zetas drug cartel and rivals at a prison have resulted in the death of 52 people in the northeastern Mexican city of Monterrey, authorities have stated.
The shocking event, which took place in the north-eastern city of Monterrey, unfolded just days ahead of a planned visit by Pope Francis to another jail in Mexico's far north.
The incident was one of the worst in a series of deadly riots in recent years to rock the country’s overpopulated prisons.
Some of the prisons in the region are largely controlled by powerful cartels.
The fatal fighting broke out in two areas of the Topo Chico prison between supporters of a gang leader known as "Zeta 27" and another group, Nuevo Leon state Governor Jaime Rodriguez said.
"Topo Chico is a very old prison. A prison with very difficult security conditions," said Rodriguez, who survived two assassination attempts while opposing drug cartels as mayor of a suburb of Monterrey.
The prison has long housed members of the Zetas, reputed for their extreme violence.
One Zetas leader was stabbed to death there last September.
In an interview with a local radio station, Rodriguez stated he understood the public perception that the Zetas dominated the facility and said the prison system was one of his principal concerns.
He also stated that no women or children were hurt during the violent event.
Rodriguez also said the fighting had ceased and the inmates had been brought under control. He then ruled out a prison break.
Concerned family members at one point forced open the prison gates and threw timber and stones at riot police inside.
“The problem is they have people like my brother living with narcos," said an angry relative of an inmate doing time for robbery, waiting for names of the victims at the prison gates.
Milenio TV reported that inmates' relatives who had been within the prison's premises for conjugal visits had seen inmates with burns.
Twelve people were injured, five seriously, the state government said.
The state government released the names of 20 victims.
The names of “Zeta 27” and a rival known as El Credo were not among them.
Monterrey is Mexico's third most populous metropolitan area and home to many of the country's largest corporations.
A 2014 human rights report faulted Topo Chico prison for not preventing violent incidents.
Pope Francis is set to begin his first visit to Mexico as pontiff on Friday. Next week, he will visit a prison in border city Ciudad Juarez, once one of the world's most violent cities.
News break – February 12
