Security forces regained full control over a prison in northwestern Venezuela on Sunday and evacuated inmates after a riot left 58 dead and twice as many wounded.
"The evacuation of prisoners from the Uribana jail has concluded. Now for reconstruction," Prisons Minister Iris Varela announced on Twitter, adding that the last prisoners left quietly "without any resistance."
It took authorities two days to regain control of the entire Uribana penitentiary in Lara state after clashes between prison gangs and guards.
Varela said rioters and other inmates were being moved to other jails around the country. She later told reporters that an earlier given death toll of 61 had been reduced by three.
Some inmates shouted from moving buses the names of the jails they were being moved to as worried-looking relatives waved goodbye.
"My brother is going to Guanare," in northwestern Venezuela, said Carmen Escalona, sister of Jose, 32, who she said is serving four years as an accomplice to a friend who robbed a taxi driver.
"It's not the same as having him nearby, but where he goes, the fight will go," she said.
Meanwhile, some family members of inmates still did not know the fates of their loved ones after the deadly violence.
"My son has been missing since Friday. He appears on lists of wounded and I have looked for him," cried Mariela Torrealba, weeping, as she searched in vain for information on the whereabouts of her son Henry, 24.
"This is a hopeless anguish," she sobbed.
Linelida Alvarez was equally anxious to find out the fate of her brother, 21-year-old Carlos Eduardo, but braced for the worst.
"We don't know anything," Alvarez told AFP. "They told us he had received a shot in the chest. But the question is why are there so many people who have been slaughtered. There are many people with firearm wounds."
Most of those killed at the Uribana facility were shot by assault weapons. Antonio Maria Pineda Hospital director Ruy Medina said in an updated toll that another 120 people were wounded.
Authorities said the riot was sparked by an inmates rebellion when the prison launched a sweep of the facility in search of illicit weapons, after receiving a tip-off that prison gangs were readying to fight.
National Guard troops surrounded the prison as inmates in bloody clothes were taken out of the building and as distraught relatives waited for news behind the barriers.
Opposition leaders and watchdog groups denounced what they said was a "disproportionate use of force" and the failure of the prisons ministry, created in mid-2011, to violence and overcrowding.
"Who will they blame for this massacre this time around?" opposition leader and former presidential candidate Henrique Capriles said on Twitter, calling the government "incapable and irresponsible."
Humberto Prado, head of the non-governmental Venezuelan Prison Monitoring Organization, said the government "had failed to take responsibility for the events" and instead was "piling blame on the media."
Vice President Nicolas Maduro, just back in the country after visiting ailing President Hugo Chavez in Cuba, called the riot "regrettable" and "tragic" and said an investigation had been launched.
Uribana is believed to hold about 2,500 inmates.
Venezuela is notorious for the poor state of its prisons, which suffer from some of the most staggeringly high levels of overcrowding in Latin America.
Originally built to house 14,000 inmates, the country's prisons now hold almost 50,000, often with low sanitary standards and high levels of violence.
In August 2012, at least 25 people were killed and 43 wounded during a clash between rival gangs in Yare I prison near Caracas. In June 2011, dozens died in a riot that erupted at El Rodeo prison.
rsh-lda/nss/adm
AFP
Sun Jan 27 2013
Who is Prabowo Subianto, incoming president of Indonesia?
A wealthy ex-general with ties to Indonesia's popular outgoing president and its dictatorial past, looks set to be its next leader.
Iran's supreme leader says Hamas leader's death will not halt 'Axis of Resistance'
The "Axis of Resistance", built up with years of Iranian support, includes Hamas, the Lebanese Hezbollah group, the Houthi movement in Yemen, and various Shi'ite groups in Iraq and Syria.
Putin says Russia willing to seek compromises between Iran and Israel
Russia is ready to help seek compromises between arch-foes Israel and Iran, President Vladimir Putin said on Friday, saying these would be difficult but possible.
What proposals will Russia push at the BRICS summit?
The proposal is also to establish a BRICS reinsurance company to allow uninterrupted shipment of goods and key commodities between members.
Indonesia's free meals plan in the spotlight as Prabowo readies for office
Prabowo calls the programme one of the main drivers of economic growth, eventually set to add an estimated 2.5 million jobs.
Astro AWANI's revamped English news website, AWANI International, launches on Oct 21
Astro AWANI's revamped English platform delivers in-depth global news and expert analysis to keep you informed on key developments.
Israeli strikes kill 33 people in Jabalia refugee camp in Gaza, medics say
Residents of Jabalia said Israeli tanks had reached the heart of the camp after pushing through suburbs and residential districts.
Liam Payne's ex-partner calls for media restraint after 'painful' death
Cheryl Tweedy used her statement to urge the media to remember they had a seven-year-old son, Bear, who could read the reports.
Analysts: Indonesia's strong MoF leadership team to boost investor confidence
Sri Mulyani Indrawati as head of Indonesia's Ministry of Finance is expected to instil confidence among investors.
Biden offers both a carrot and a stick to Israel as his term nears an end
Israel has frequently resisted US advice and has caused political difficulties for the Biden administration.
Putin says BRICS will generate most of global economic growth
Russian President Vladimir Putin will host a summit of the group in the city of Kazan on Oct. 22-24.
ISIS Malaysia's perspective of Budget 2025
An excellent rakyat-centric budget under the overarching principle of a caring and humane economy.
Budget 2025: Record increase in STR, SARA aid initiatives
The government will provide a significant boost to the Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) initiatives next year.
Budget 2025: EPF contributions to be made mandatory for foreign workers – PM Anwar
The government plans to make it compulsory for all non-citizen workers to contribute to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF).
What policies to expect from Indonesia's new President Prabowo
Prabowo will be open to foreign investment, his aide has said, such as by offering investors management of airports and sea ports.
Budget 2025: Govt allocates RM470 mil to empower women's participation in PMKS
The Women's Leadership Apprenticeship Program will be intensified as an effort to produce more female corporate personalities.
Israel sends more troops into north Gaza, deepens raid
Residents of Jabalia in northern Gaza said Israeli tanks had reached the heart of the camp, using heavy air and ground fire.
Indonesia ramps up security ahead of Prabowo's inauguration
Prabowo Subianto will be sworn in as Indonesia's president on Sunday with Vice President-elect, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, also taking office.
Immediate allocation of RM150 mil for local authorities, DID to tackle flash floods
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said this allocation is intended to address the recent flash floods that hit the capital and several major towns.
Budget 2025: Sabah, Sarawak to continue receiving among highest allocations - PM
Sabah and Sarawak continues to be prioritised under Budget 2025, with allocations of RM6.7 billion and RM5.9 billion respectively.