AP PHOTOS: A look at life inside Paraguay’s overcrowded prisons

ASUNCION, Paraguay — Paraguay a few months ago launched an operation to address some of the many problems plaguing its prison system, including internal gang control, but one problem in particular has proven difficult to deal with: overcrowding.

The South American nation has 18 prisons with a capacity for almost 10,000 inmates, but the current population exceeds 17,600, according to the latest figures provided by authorities which go until the end of 2023.

A country of more than 6 million inhabitants, Paraguay is considered a regional drug trafficking hub.

An Associated Press photographer recently had access to five different prisons — four male facilities and one for women — to see how their inmates live. With the exception of the female detention center, overcrowding was common.

One of the penitentiaries the AP visited was Tacumbú, the largest prison in Paraguay, which authorities raided nine months ago in an effort to regain control from the Rotela clan — a gang that has extended its presence onto Paraguay’s streets and into some of its prisons.

The police operation ended with a dozen people dead, several injured and the relocation of 700 inmates to other lockups.

Inside the prison, cells designed to hold five inmates hold more than 15. Prisoners often sleep on thin mattresses on the floor and hang towels in an attempt at privacy. They look for ways to spend their time.

The facilities the AP visited were minimum-security prisons, so inmates interact more freely. But for those who break the rules, there are cells in an isolated area where they are held without visitors.

Inside “El Buen Pastor,” or Good Shepherd, female prison, things look cleaner and less crowded than in the men’s facilities.

Any given day, in prisons like Tacumbú, there are stretching sessions in open areas or religious ceremonies. Some inmates play soccer while others prefer bingo. Some try to earn money and shine the guards shoes for 30 cents.

There are no dining areas, so inmates eat in their cells or in hallways. On cold days, prisoners are allowed to make a fire in the patios to keep warm.

Atiliano Cuyer, 64, was detained for domestic violence and says he’s been waiting for 10 months for a trial inside the Coronel Oviedo regional penitentiary.

“Justice in Paraguay doesn’t work if you don’t have money,” he adds.