32 inmates break out of three Mexican prisons

Inmates staged near simultaneous jailbreaks from three prisons in the Mexican state of Veracruz early Monday and at least 32 of them escaped, officials said.

Authorities said 14 of the fugitives were later recaptured, but prison officials were conducting reviews to establish who was still at large.

Between 2:30 and 4:00 am, prisoners escaped from prisons in Coatzacoalcos, Amatlan de los Reyes and Cosamaloapan, Gerardo Buganza, the state`s top security official, said.

A spokesman for the state, Miguel Valera, told AFP that initial indications were that the prisoners were armed with knives and had overpowered the guards.

But Buganza said authorities were investigating whether employees of the jails were involved in the jailbreaks. "An investigation of the guards, prison management and external security contract workers will be carried out," he said.

Mexico`s overcrowded prisons, which house 230,000 inmates, are plagued with breakouts, brawls and killings. more