Prison riot in Brazil leaves at least 52 inmates dead

A guard outside the Altamira prison in Brazil.
(Image credit: Bruno Santos/AFP/Getty Images)

At least 52 inmates at the Altamira prison in the northern Brazilian state of Para were killed on Monday during a massive riot.

Officials said 16 of the inmates were decapitated, and Agencia Brasil reports the rest likely died from asphyxiation, as prisoners set fire to the facility. The riot started when one gang stormed a section of the prison controlled by another group. Two guards who were held hostage have since been released.

In May, 55 inmates were killed in riots at prisons in western Brazil, and human rights groups say the Brazilian government isn't doing anything to address the violence at these facilities. Tensions are high due to overcrowding, and gangs are using the prisons as recruitment centers.

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Catherine Garcia

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.