A deadly prison riot at a correctional facility in Tuxpan, Veracruz, Mexico left seven inmates dead and 11 others injured during violent clashes that erupted Saturday afternoon and continued through the night. Authorities regained control of the facility Sunday morning following a coordinated operation involving state forces and military support.
The violence began Saturday afternoon at the Social Reintegration Center in Tuxpan and stretched into the night as inmates maintained control of the facility for approximately 12 hours. The Department of Public Security of Veracruz confirmed that order was restored by Sunday morning around 9 a.m. following the joint security operation.
Videos from the city showed columns of smoke emerging from the prison on Saturday, while footage published on social media showed inmates with burns. Fires started by some of the inmates during the riot were extinguished by authorities, and those injured during the violence are now receiving medical attention at various hospitals.
The riot reportedly began when a group of prisoners rebelled against a criminal organization known as Grupo Sombra that was allegedly extorting prisoners and their families. Some inmates recorded videos claiming the violence erupted after they asked authorities to guarantee their safety when faced with threats from inmates accused of being part of the violent criminal group.
According to the state security ministry, the inmates fought and set fire to the facility after demanding that authorities allow human rights activists and the press inside the prison. Local media reported that prisoners started the riot specifically seeking protection against the alleged abuse and extortion by members of Grupo Sombra operating within the facility.
The Veracruz State Public Security Department stated, “As a result of the riot, we report the tragic deaths of seven inmates and 11 injured people.” Three inmates identified as key instigators of the violence were transferred to another facility following the incident, though authorities did not disclose specific details about their relocation.
The Tuxpan prison was holding 778 prisoners in June, according to the latest official data, exceeding its designed capacity of 735 inmates. This overcrowding reflects broader challenges facing Mexican correctional facilities, where conflicts between cartels and other organized crime groups are often replicated within prison populations.
Grupo Sombra, the criminal organization at the center of the dispute, first gained public attention in 2017 when its members distributed frozen turkeys and soda to residents in Veracruz for Christmas, forcing recipients to pose for photographs showing gratitude. The group considers itself a splinter group of the Gulf Cartel and claims to fight against the Los Zetas syndicate and Jalisco New Generation Cartel in Veracruz.
The state of Veracruz has experienced a surge in extortion and overall crime in recent months. Among the most significant recent incidents was the killing of 62-year-old Irma Hernández, a retired teacher turned taxi driver who was reportedly kidnapped and later appeared in a video allegedly released by a regional cartel as a warning to other drivers to comply with extortion demands. Her body was found days later.
In a separate incident in Tuxpan this week, the same city where Saturday’s prison riot occurred, a taxi driver was shot and wounded in an initial attack. After being taken to a local hospital, a gunman posing as a relative reportedly entered the facility and attempted to kill him. The driver’s father tried to intervene and was fatally shot, though the taxi driver survived the second attempt on his life.
The coordinated response to regain control involved Veracruz state police units working alongside the Mexican Navy, Army, National Guard, and the State Human Rights Commission. Authorities deployed these resources to contain the unrest and prevent further casualties among the broader prison population.
This incident follows a pattern of prison violence in Mexico, where last month a prison riot in the northwestern state of Sinaloa left three inmates dead. A 2012 report by Mexico’s human rights commission found that six out of 10 Mexican prisons are controlled by either prison gangs or drug cartels, highlighting systemic issues within the correctional system.
Politicians have also been targeted by violence in Veracruz in recent months. In May, a mayoral candidate and three of her supporters were shot dead at a campaign event in the state. Last December, a Mexican congressman who was a member of the ruling coalition was shot dead in Veracruz, demonstrating the broader security challenges facing the region.
