Overview
- A livestream made through the OmeTV app showing inmates in San Felipe speaking with streamer Valentín Melo went viral in late July and alerted prison intelligence units to the breach.
- Prison investigators identified the inmates in module 8B, carried out a requisa and confiscated five cellphones before opening administrative, disciplinary and judicial proceedings.
- The inmates were summarily investigated, moved to a more restricted zone with fewer benefits and face internal sanctions under the penitentiary regime.
- Authorities say the probe now focuses on how the phones entered the prison and whether penitentiary staff or civilian visitors were involved in bringing the devices inside.
- The provincial government reiterated its ban on cellphones since December 2023, cited an average of about 15–16 seizures per day, and is expanding measures such as signal inhibitors, body and parcel scanners and more cameras.