The Mexican authorities reported this Tuesday a plan to build six new penitentiary centers in as many states of the country with the aim of addressing the serious problem of overcrowding in prisons. The announcement comes after the Government of Claudia Sheinbaum communicated the detention of 70,000 people since the start of her administration a little over two years ago.
The new complexes will be located in Chiapas, State of Mexico, Nayarit, Sinaloa, Sonora, and Veracruz, and "will have high-security infrastructure, surveillance and monitoring technology, inspection and signal blocking systems, as well as differentiated modules for an adequate classification of individuals deprived of liberty, according to their profile and level of risk," explained the Secretary of Security, Omar García Harfuch, at a press conference.
According to the Executive's plans, these six prisons will add a total capacity of 18,480 "spaces." However, García Harfuch emphasized that "the new model also includes strengthening social reintegration processes, through spaces dedicated to education, work, job training, once they are released, health services, and sports activities."
The Security official highlighted that the first center to be built will be in the state of Sinaloa and will be able to house more than 2,000 inmates. This project is being promoted after the recent disturbances in the Mazatlán prison, recorded last week, which resulted in twelve fatalities.
"While this project is being finalized, the Mazatlán Penitentiary Center is reinforced with elements of the National Guard and personnel from the Secretariat of Security of the Decentralized Administrative Body for Prevention and Social Reintegration," García Harfuch pointed out, referring to the additional security deployment.
The initiative is part of the Government's response to the saturation of the Mexican penitentiary system. Since Sheinbaum took office in October 2024, security forces have arrested 70,500 alleged "high-impact" criminals and seized 36,300 weapons, which has increased the pressure on the country's prisons.