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A violent prison riot in southeastern Mexico has left at least seven dead, further highlighting the deepening crisis of criminal violence in the region. Authorities confirmed the incident on Tuesday, which took place at a prison in Villahermosa, the capital of Tabasco state.
The public prosecutor’s office has launched an official investigation into the deadly clash, which mirrors a similar riot in December that also resulted in seven fatalities. Local reports indicate that the riot was triggered by a violent confrontation between rival criminal groups, underscoring the growing influence and tensions between organized crime factions inside Mexico’s overcrowded prisons.
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Tabasco, a state critical to Mexico’s oil industry, has seen a disturbing uptick in violent crime in recent months. This incident comes on the heels of two deadly gun attacks on bars in Villahermosa in November and January, which left a total of 13 people dead. These brazen attacks have intensified fears over the safety of civilians in the region, as authorities struggle to curb the mounting violence.
The situation in Tabasco is just a glimpse into the broader national crisis caused by the ongoing drug-related violence that has plagued Mexico for nearly two decades. Since the government’s decision to deploy the military in 2006 to combat drug cartels, over 480,000 people have lost their lives in drug-related violence, according to official statistics. The latest events in Tabasco further reflect the extent of the challenge the Mexican government faces in restoring security and stability to the country.