The threat of COVID-19 transmission is spreading through the notoriously overcrowded prisons of Latin America, which threaten to turn into seemingly COVID-19 infernos.

Specifically, the Puenta Alton prison located in downtown Santiago, Chile, is said to "have the largest prison COVID-19 outbreaks so far," with over 300 cases reported at one facility. Relatively, the 1,100 inmates of the prison are reportedly alarmed and frightened with the current figures related to the virus.

Social distancing, the prison nurse, Ximena Graniffo said, social distancing is undeniably challenging to practice behind bars. She added, inmates "are all in contact with each other."

Moreover, any initiative at lessening contact was described to "have blown away in El Salvador" last weekend when the authorities crowded the prisoners tightly together in the prison yards, even though they wore masks, as they searched through the cells.

A shocking photo that President Nayib Bukele's office released showed hundreds of male inmates sitting on the floor, crammed like sardines, wearing only their underwear. 

Bukele instructed the security crackdown following the slain of more than 20 people in the county on Friday, "and the intelligence suggested for the orders to come from the detained gang leaders.


1.5 Million Inmates in Latin America's Prisons

The prisons of Latin America currently hold about 1.5 million, and the facilities are frequently quasi-ruled by the inmates themselves due to intimidation, insufficient guard staffing, and corruption. More so, low budgets create ideal environments, too, for the virus to spread.

Some of the factors that make the spread of COVID-19 include the frequently little supply of water and soap and the overcrowding of cell blocks.

To date, the Latin American nations' officials have reported together, almost $1,400 confirmed COVID-19 cases among prison staff and inmates. From this figure, Peru has been recorded as the worst-hit nation with more than 600 confirmed cases and at least 13 fatalities. The testing's extent, though, to determine the infections' full scale differs from one country to another.


Numbers in Other Prisons

Incidentally, when the Dominican Republic tested over 5,500 prisoners at the La Victoria prison, which has been making face masks for the pubic, officials announced, at least 239 had been identified positive of the infectious disease.

Probably, the most complete COVID-19 test seems to be happening in Puerto Rico, where the Department of Corrections announced on Friday, it would test all of the almost 9,000 prisoners being held within this US territory. The department said it would also test the 6,000 employees, which include the correctional officers.

Apprehensions and worries about the virus itself have already proven fatal. In Colombia, there have been 23 fatalities in prison riots recorded and reported, since the pandemic began. 

Meanwhile, over 1,300 prisoners have fled prisons in Brazil following the cancellation of the temporary release program due to the outbreak. In addition, over 1,000 have staged hunger strikes in Argentina.

Throughout the region, the demands remain the same, and that is a shield from infection. With the majority of the family visits also canceled, inmates feel they are alone, not to mention, vulnerable, exposed, and exploited.


Price Increases in Prison Stores

Inmates have reported that the prices at both formal and informal prison stores have increased during the COVID-19 crisis, and families can no longer bring then hygiene items and food from the outside.

At present, a prisoner in Mexico said, the price of a bag of soap powder is 29 pesos or $1.20. Before, it only cost about 20 pesos or 80 cents. This inmate currently stays "in a 12-by-12-foot cell" along with many other prisoners.

The inmate who shares the information preferred not to be identified as he was calling via a banned mobile phone. According to Human Rights Watch, conditions have even worsened in countries such as Guatemala, Bolivia, and Haiti.

According to Michelle Bachelet, the UN Human Rights High Commissioner, also the ex-president of Chile "has called the sanitary situation in the region 'deplorable.'" 

The former government leader has also called for the releases of inmates who are considered less dangerous.


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