One Dead, 14 Injured During Massive Operation to Free Hostages in Paraguay Prison

At least one police officer has been killed and 14 other people have been injured during an operation to regain control of the Tacumbú penitentiary, Paraguay’s largest prison, following a violent riot that broke out in October, La Prensa Latina reports. During the riot, members of the Rotela Clan, an organization linked to drug trafficking in Paraguay, set the prison ablaze and held 22 police officers hostage for over 15 hours. Monday’s operation, which began before dawn and involved over 1,200 police officers as well as more than 1,000 military personnel, was ordered to regain control of the prison and transfer its inmates to at least eight other penitentiaries across the country. Armando Javier Rotela, the alleged leader of the Rotela clan, was reportedly captured during the operation. The head of the National Police’s anti-kidnapping department, Commissioner Nimio Cardozo, told EFE that at least 14 people – two soldiers and 12 police – have been injured.