Brazilian police thwarts new prison riot

RIO DE JANEIRO - Brazilian police on Tuesday succeeded in preventing another prison riot at the Alcazuz State Penitentiary, where 26 inmates were killed in a riot during the weekend.

Police used tear gas and non-lethal weapons to block a group of inmates armed with rocks and bats from trying to break into a different wing.

"The situation was very tense," prison warden Wellington Camilo told local media.

Also on Tuesday, Brazil's federal government authorized Armed Forces to be deployed in prisons to carry out inspections and search for weapons and other forbidden materials.

The government does not allow the soldiers and criminals to have any contact, so the Armed Forces will not serve as wardens in the jails.

"The Armed Forces will not deal with the inmates," said Defense Minister Raul Jungmann. "That will be a role for the police forces and prison wardens."

The announcement was made after a meeting between President Michel Temer and representatives of the cabinet and intelligence organs. The government has been trying to reach an agreement on how to tackle the prison crisis in the country.

"In an innovative and pioneering initiative, the president offered state governments the support of armed forces," Alexandre Parola, presidential spokesman, said.

The decision followed a string of violent clashes at prisons, mainly in Brazil's poorer northern region.

Since the beginning of the year, there have been several riots in prisons all over Brazil, and the death toll from those riots is far above 100. States have been requesting the National Security Force to help them regain the control of prisons.