El Salvador's prison system was in crisis following mass protests by inmates in 11 jails and three detention centres for minors, the authorities confirmed Monday.
From Saturday onwards, inmates refused to return to their cells, take part in workshops and other activities, allow prisoners to leave or enter the facilities or let those needing medical aid be treated, dpa reported.
There were no immediate reports of violence in the mass protests that officials characterized as "disobedience."
Police and army personnel were deployed around the jails in case of emergencies.
El Salvador has 19 prisons, which are overcrowded and have poor living conditions. Uprisings are common in the central American country, where some 20,000 people are held in prisons that have a capacity for under 8,000.
Prisons director Gilbert Caceres blamed the uprising on inmates who were being manipulated by outside organized crime gangs.
Caceres said that he first heard of plans for such an orchestrated uprising in October and officials were particularly concerned about the potential for violence, which might occur in the event of a prison revolt.
...