Prison renovations begin following riot.
The building was heavily damaged by vandalism and arson caused by rebellious inmates on June 6th of this year; most of the prisoners had to be transferred to other SEDS (State Secretariat for Social Development) units; according to the DEOP (Department of Public Order) works inspector, Max Freire, the estimated budget is R$ 2,5 million, with a timeframe of approximately 180 days to complete the cell repairs.
Minas Agency - Work has begun on the renovation of the Governador Valadares Prison, in a joint effort by the State Secretariat of Social Defense (Seds) and the State Department of Public Works (Deop), linked to the State Secretariat of Transport and Public Works (Setop). The building was heavily damaged by vandalism and fire caused by rebellious inmates on June 6th of this year. Most of the prisoners had to be transferred to other Seds units.
According to Max Freire, the construction inspector for Deop, the projected budget is 2.5 million, with a timeframe of approximately 180 days to complete the cell renovations. The schedule for the delivery of the administrative sector, which was most affected by the rebellion, depends on a technical report on the structural aspects, which will assess whether it will be necessary to demolish any specific building within the unit for reconstruction.
Twenty-eight prisoners remained in the unit, housed in the only cell that was not damaged. Of these inmates, 18 are serving sentences in the semi-open regime and have valid external work contracts. The other ten are in the closed regime and helped clean the penitentiary after the riot, removing the debris that remained. Now, they have joined the workers to carry out the renovation.
Approximately 50% of the prison's staff, including correctional officers, and virtually all technicians were temporarily transferred to other prisons in the region. According to the prison's management, no inmates injured in the riot remain hospitalized. The last inmate, who suffered burns to his feet and arms, was discharged last Thursday (July 23).
The prison's director-general, Captain Menezes, emphasizes the importance of the prison's renovation for the region. "We hope that the people of Governador Valadares will benefit from the completion of the renovation as soon as possible. The distance from the prisoners causes disruption and makes it difficult for family members to travel," he says.
The company Brascoemp Brasil Construções e Empreendimentos Ltda is the contractor for the project. Supervision is provided by the Department of Public Works of the State of Minas Gerais (Deop-MG), and the transfer of funds is handled by Seds.