Bangu 8 inmates recaptured after attempted escape in Rio de Janeiro

Two foreign inmates, Gerel Lusiano Palm from the Netherlands and Juan Estebán Avendaño Perez from Colombia, attempted to escape from the Bangu 8 prison within the Gericinó Complex in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday (26/09).

The inmates reportedly subdued a prison officer using a “mata-leão” (chokehold) maneuver, stole his weapon, and scaled the facility wall using a “tereza,” an improvised rope made from bedsheets. Both men were recaptured shortly after the attempt while still within the Gericinó Complex area.

Gerel Lusiano Palm is a high-profile individual previously listed on Interpol’s Red Notice for attempted murder and illegal weapons possession, and he has been under investigation regarding potential links to organized crime and public officials. Juan Estebán Avendaño Perez is reportedly linked to international drug trafficking and has a criminal history in Colombia. Following their recapture, the inmates were transferred to the Bangu 1 penitentiary to serve under a Special Disciplinary Regime (RDD). The State Secretariat of Penal Police (Seppen) has opened an investigation into the circumstances of the escape.