Bedbug infestation in prisons: prison staff call for resignations

Catalan prisons are going through one of the most critical moments in their recent history. A long list of problems that have plagued the penitentiary centers is now joined by a health crisis. According to the SICAP-FEPOL union, the Women's Barcelona's Penitentiary Center is facing a severe bedbug infestation.

In its statement, FEPOL reports that for over a month the open women's section of the center, with 263 inmates, has been attacked by a bedbug infestation. The situation has worsened so much that more than ten cells have had to be closed. This action has led to improvised solutions, such as granting extraordinary permits to inmates so they don't have to spend the night at the center. Although this partially relieves the situation, it highlights the authorities' ineffectiveness in addressing the problem effectively:

In addition to the inmates, the penitentiary staff are also being affected by the infestation. A female worker at the center suffered bites, which, although they could have been attributed to mosquitoes, are also consistent with bedbug bites. The situation has overwhelmed the response capacity of the Department of Justice and the center's management. This has led the union to describe the authorities' passivity and negligence as unacceptable.

The union calls for resignations

FEPOL demands immediate measures to stop the infestation and protect both the inmates and the center's staff. Among the requested actions are a complete disinsection of the affected facilities, urgent assessment of occupational risks, and transparent information about the situation and the solutions adopted. In addition, the union is calling for political accountability for the negligence in managing the crisis. They are even demanding the immediate dismissal of the general director of penitentiary services, José María Montero.

The union's complaint highlights a pattern of inaction that, far from being an isolated case, seems to reflect a broader problem within the Catalan penitentiary system. The progressive policies implemented in recent years haven't managed to address the challenges facing this sector. This has resulted in a progressive deterioration of working and safety conditions. Meanwhile, prisons continue to be places of growing conflict, with increasingly unsustainable situations.