Hundreds of prisoners have escaped from prisons in Brazil today in a revolt over a coronavirus crackdown.

The uprising broke out after temporary release for Easter was cancelled because of the risk of in-house contamination upon prisoners’ return. Inmates escaped in Tremembe and Mirandopolis and a rebellion was reported at a prison in Porto Feliz.
In one escape, about 400 inmates got out of the Centro de Progressão Penitenciaria Dr Rubens Aleixo Sendin, in Mongagua, on the coast of Sao Paulo.

The Military Police have already recaptured 41 inmates from the Mongagua unit. Nine hostages they had taken were released and the prisoners who had not escaped returned to their cells.

The unit has capacity for 1 640 prisoners but was holding 2 796 - almost double capacity - according to the Secretariat of Penitentiary Administration.