Prime Minister of Peru, Alberto Otarolaconfirmed this Thursday that the government is committed to replicate El Salvador’s prison model in your own countrywhose prison infrastructure he described as “adequate, modern and efficient”despite complaints from human rights organizations.

“Prison logistics in this country (…) have become an adequate, modern and efficient infrastructure, so, first of all, the most cruel and most dangerous prisoners”– Otarola explained at a press conference.

In this regard, he explained that the Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Eduardo Arana, traveled to this Central American country to learn about this policy first hand, as well as “hold joint meetings with Salvadoran justice officials regarding the viability of these prisons” which they want to “introduce into Peru.”

“I hope we can build (these prisons) here in Peru.”said the chief of staff, before assuring that the Andean country was suffering from “prison overcrowding.”

In Peru, according to the data he proposed, there are almost 100 thousand prisoners, half of whom have no sentence, he added.

We are very concerned about those incarcerated for violent crimes who may continue to leave prison with extortion messages and criminal organizations.

According to official data, since March 2022, more than 75.1 thousand people have been arrested in El Salvador on charges of gang membership or collaboration, of which more than 7 thousand people have been released on parole.

Among the prisons in El Salvador, there are so-called Terrorism Containment Center (Cecot), a prison opened on January 31, 2022, which houses 40 thousand gang members convicted or detained under the controversial measure exception mode.

This regime was introduced by the government of President Nayib Bukele to combat gangs.

The prison is operating at 30% of its capacity and is not recording any deaths inside.According to information provided by the management of the penitentiary center in October 2023.

To date, the total number of gang members in prison is unknown.

El Secot is located in the central city of Tecoluca, more than 75 kilometers from the capital San Salvador, and is a labyrinth of concrete, iron, asphalt and steel guarded by prison guards and soldiers from towers more than 15 meters high.