A prison riot over sanitary conditions amid the coronavirus outbreak has left 23 inmates dead.
The brutal riot broke out in Bogota, the capital of Colombia, late on Saturday and caused 83 injuries in addition to the deaths.
The detainees were protesting the sanitary conditions in the jail as the death toll in the South American country from Covid-19 reached two.
Seven prison guards were also injured and two are in critical condition, Justice Minister Margarita Cabello said.
The Andean country will enter a nationwide lockdown from Tuesday night.
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So far 231 people have been confirmed infected with the disease.
“Today is a very sad and painful day,” Ms Cabello said.
“Last night there was a mass criminal escape attempt at the El Modelo prison and riots in various detention centers around the country.”
Graphic cell phones videos were posted to social media late on Saturday showing what appeared to be the inside of the prisons.
Some showed small fires, others injured prisoners and guards.
In one video, a man says the incarcerated have been “abandoned like dogs” amid the virus outbreak.
No prisoners escaped during the riots, Ms Cabello said.
“There is not any sanitary problem that would have caused this plan and these riots.
"There is not one infection nor any prisoner or custodial or administrative staffer who has coronavirus.”
