Dramatic situation in Uruguay’s youth detention center

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – A parliamentary general committee session to which the heads of the institution and the rector of the Ministry of Social Development (MIDES) were summoned had to be interrupted due to reports of rioting, with one wounded detainee while another escaped.

On behalf of the opposition bench, Bettiana Díaz denounced shortly before the session the daily conflict and lack of institutional sustainability due to the absence of solutions, and the precariousness in which both adolescents and workers find themselves.

“We have grown tired of repeating that there is a problem of suitability and competence on the part of the presidency of Inisa,” headed by ruling coalition party Cabildo Abierto’s Rossana de Olivera, who is “oblivious to everything related to the penal system and has no knowledge of public management.”

She recalled that since the debate on the Budget, warnings were raised about a cut that would have serious consequences in operating expenses, investments and food, and “with fewer workers there would be increased confinement” of the 270 detainees.

Diaz criticized the lack of answers to a request for reports, as instead “they presented some numbers on the fulfillment of goals that were fabricated, which we confirmed” and pointed out that there are boys “with longer sentences due to the Urgent Consideration Law (LUC).”

MIDES head Martín Lema committed to expedite the delivery of the requested report when speaking at the session, before its suspension due to the aforementioned violent incidents.

Confederation of State Officials head José Lorenzo López said that the institution is currently operating below standards and that the solution lies in a stable policy of care, re-education and social integration.