Argentina prison overcrowding and infrastructure concerns

Authorities in Argentina are raising alarms regarding prison overcrowding and insufficient infrastructure. In Chaco, the Committee against Torture has formally opposed a proposed reform to the 'reiterancia' law. Committee President Darío Gómez stated that any legislative changes expanding detention capabilities must be analyzed alongside the current state of correctional facilities. The committee noted that some detainees remain in police stations due to a lack of penitentiary spaces, including the Seventh Station in Resistencia, which can hold up to 80 people despite a capacity of 20.

In Entre Ríos, the Penitentiary Service reports a 16 percent prison overcrowding rate. Data shows a 25 percent increase in the inmate population over the last four years, reaching 3,176 inmates in 2026 against a capacity of 2,736. Specific facilities are facing higher rates of congestion, such as the UP5 in Victoria, which is operating at 39.3 percent over capacity. Additionally, the province faces budget execution challenges and a debt from the national government regarding the housing of federal inmates.