Massive Prison Break in Mexico

México, 20 December, . -The biggest prison break in Mexican penal history occurred in the penitentiary of the northern frontier city of New Laredo, when 151 prisoners escapes, confirmed a spokesman for Public Security of the state (SSP) of Tamaulipas.

 Héctor Walle, press chief for the SSP, stated that indications are that the escape route was the area reserved for service vehicles, and that it is presumed that the prisoners were assisted by officials of the penitentiary.

He also stated that all the officers of the penitentiary have been put at the disposal of the authorities "because of the act of high treason".

José Antonio Garza García, head of the SSP, declared that there was no doubt that the escaped prisoners were assisted by staff of the prison.

The director of the penitentiary, Efraín Hernández Llamas, hardly two months on the job, has "disappeared", and it is not known whether he left with the escapees.

Meanwhile, Horacio Sepúlveda has been relieved of his post as director of state prisons.

The Ministry of Home Affairs of the Federal government has roundly condemned this "deplorable act", and blamed local authorities for the absence of effective control measures, as a result of which there have been many prison breaks.

Tamaulipas is the Mexican state with the largest number of prison escapes in the past 11 years, with 30 percent of the 1,353 escapees in the entire country since 2000, according to García Garza.

Eugenio Hernández Flores, governor of Tamaulipas, admitted last April that the capacity for vigilance had been exceeded: "The federal prisoners are dangerous, they have links with organized crime, and this is limiting our vigilance capacity", he said.

As a result, he asked federal authorities for support to guarantee the custody of 1,700 highly dangerous prisoners that are serving time in the penal system.

Meanwhile, the government of the state placed at the disposal of federal authorities a new center with capacity for 1,640 interns being constructed in Victoria City.

Since last Friday, personnel from the army, the marines and the federal police have been in control of 141 prisons in Tamaulipas, from where more than 340 prisoners have escaped this year.Prensa Latina.