Prison riot in Mexico's Veracruz state leaves 7 dead, 11 injured as authorities restore order

TUXPAN, Mexico — Authorities in the Mexican state of Veracruz on Sunday said they have restored order in a prison where seven inmates were killed and 11 were injured in a riot that broke out the previous night.

In a statement posted on X, the Department of Public Security of Veracruz said prisoners injured during the riot in Tuxpan prison are now receiving medical attention, and that fires started by some of the inmates have been extinguished.

Videos from the city of Tuxpan showed columns of smoke emerging from the prison on Saturday, while footage published on social media showed inmates with burns.

Some of the inmates recorded videos in which they claimed the riot began as a group of prisoners rebelled against a criminal organization known as Grupo Sombra that was extorting prisoners and their families.

The Tuxpan prison was holding 778 prisoners in June, according to the latest official data. It is designed to house 735 inmates.