Topo Chico was a prison located in Monterrey, northern Mexico, close to Penitenciaría (Spanish for 'penitentiary') metro station.

Topo Chico
Map
Coordinates25°43′30″N 100°20′44″W / 25.72500°N 100.34556°W / 25.72500; -100.34556
Statusclosed
Capacity3,685[1]
Population4,091[1] (as of September 2015)
Managed bySecretariat of Public Security
DirectorGregoria Salazar Robles[2]
CityMonterrey
State/provinceNuevo León
CountryMexico
Notable prisoners
Jorge Lankenau

The prison is an establishment of the Federal Government of Mexico and is administered by the Secretariat of Public Security (Spanish: Secretaría de Seguridad Pública, SSP). The director of the prison is Gregoria Salazar Robles, appointed 12 March 2012.[2]

As of September 2015 the prison was overcrowded with a capacity for 3,685 inmates but a population of 4,091.[1] The infrastructure in poor condition with generally no water, light or ventilation in the cells according to a 2014 report by United Nations Special Rapporteur Juan E. Méndez.[3]

Incidents edit

In 2011 police found the dismembered body of prison security chief Francisco Martinez Ramirez in a plastic box inside a car abandoned near Topo Chico.[4]

On 21 February 2012, 3 inmates were stabbed to death in targeted attacks at the prison.[5]

On 11 February 2016, 49 inmates were killed and 12 injured following a fight between two rival gangs at Topo Chico[6] in which inmates set fires affecting two of the prison's units.[7] Governor of Nuevo León state Jaime Rodríguez Calderón told journalists that one of the factions involved in the violence was led by a leader of the Zetas Cartel, and the leader of the other group was identified by Mexican media as a leader of the Gulf Cartel.[8]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "Cuaderno mensual de información estadística penitenciaria nacional" (XLS) (in Spanish). September 2015.
  2. ^ a b Porras Lara, Rosa Emilia (11 February 2016). "¿Quién es la directora de Topo Chico?" [Who is the director of Topo Chico?]. Milenio (in Spanish). Mexico City.
  3. ^ Human Rights Council Session 28 Agenda item 3. Mission to Mexico A/HRC/28/68/Add.3 page 16. Juan E. Méndez 29 December 2014.
  4. ^ "Mexican prison official murdered in Monterrey". BBC News. 6 February 2011.
  5. ^ "3 inmates killed in Mexican prison". CNN. 21 February 2012.
  6. ^ "Scores killed in prison brawl and blaze in Mexico". CBS News. 11 February 2016.
  7. ^ Castillo, Mariano (11 February 2016). "52 dead in riot at Mexico's Topo Chico prison". CNN.
  8. ^ Agren, David (11 February 2016). "Mexico prison riot: at least 52 people killed and 12 injured in Monterrey". The Guardian.