Chile’s Justice Minister acknowledges that the country’s prisons are overcrowded

Chile’s Minister of Justice, Luis Cordero, acknowledged Tuesday his concern regarding the country’s prison facilities, which are going through an “overpopulation” situation that is “on the rise”.

As detailed by Cordero for the radio station T13 Radio, since Gabriel Boric ascended to the Chilean presidency exactly 13 months ago, the authorities have detained some 6,000 people, going from 40,000 to 46,000 inmates.

“We have a prison infrastructure since 2012 (thought) for 41,000 or 42,000 people (…).”

“The projections of the Gendarmerie are for the beginning of next year about 50,000 (prisoners), probably a little more,” he explained.

Cordero has pointed out that this matter worries the Chilean authorities.

However, he has recognized the complexity of turning the situation around since the construction or remodeling of prisons are projects that “are planned in one government and executed in another”.

With information from LGI