A deadly prison riot at a facility in Tuxpan, Veracruz, Mexico, left seven inmates dead and 11 others injured during violence that erupted Saturday afternoon and continued through the night before authorities regained control Sunday morning, August 3.

The unrest began Saturday afternoon at the Social Reintegration Center in Tuxpan and lasted approximately 12 hours before state forces, supported by military units, conducted a coordinated operation to restore order around 9 a.m. Sunday, according to the Veracruz Department of Public Security.

Videos from the scene showed columns of smoke rising from the prison facility on Saturday, while social media footage depicted inmates with burn injuries. The Department of Public Security of Veracruz stated, “As a result of the riot, we report the tragic deaths of seven inmates and 11 injured people.”

The violence erupted after inmates protested against alleged extortion and abuse by members of a criminal organization known as Grupo Sombra that operates within the prison facility. Inmates recorded videos claiming the riot began when a group of prisoners rebelled against the criminal group that had been threatening and extorting both prisoners and their families.

During the disturbance, inmates set multiple fires throughout the facility that were later extinguished by authorities. The injured prisoners were transferred to local hospitals for medical treatment, though their current conditions have not been disclosed by officials.

As part of the response to the riot, three inmates identified as key instigators of the violence were transferred to another prison facility in Veracruz state. No additional incidents were reported following their relocation.

The Tuxpan prison facility was housing 778 inmates in June, according to the latest official data, exceeding its designed capacity of 735 prisoners. This overcrowding reflects broader challenges facing Mexican prison facilities, which frequently struggle with violence fueled by rivalries between drug cartels and criminal organizations.

The riot required intervention from multiple agencies, including the Veracruz state police, Mexican Navy, Army, National Guard, and the State Human Rights Commission. The coordinated response involved deploying various units to contain the unrest and protect the broader prison population from the violence initiated by the rioting inmates.

Reports indicate that inmates had demanded that authorities allow human rights activists and press access to the prison facility, alleging ongoing abuse and extortion by Grupo Sombra members. The criminal organization has been linked to various violent incidents in the region beyond the prison walls.

According to media reports, Grupo Sombra first gained public attention in 2017 when masked gunmen distributed frozen turkeys and soda to Veracruz residents during Christmas, forcing recipients to pose for photographs showing gratitude. The organization considers itself a splinter group of the Gulf Cartel and claims to oppose the Los Zetas syndicate and Jalisco New Generation Cartel in the region.

The violence reflects ongoing security challenges in Veracruz, one of Mexico’s most violent states. Recent incidents in the area include the killing of a taxi driver at a hospital, where an alleged gunman posed as a relative to gain access and murder the victim while he was recovering from an earlier shooting.

Mexican prison facilities have long faced problems with overcrowding and violence, often reflecting conflicts between organized crime groups operating both inside and outside prison walls. 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.

The Tuxpan riot follows other recent prison violence in Mexico, including a riot in Sinaloa state that left three inmates dead. Such incidents have prompted human rights organizations to call for investigations and urgent reforms to prevent further bloodshed in the country’s detention facilities.

The state security ministry confirmed that full control of the facility was restored following the joint operation, with all fires extinguished and medical attention provided to injured inmates. The investigation into the riot and the circumstances that led to the deadly violence remains ongoing.