Nicolás Soria attacked in Argentine prison during Loan disappearance case

Nicolás Gabriel Soria, known as “El Americano,” reported that he was attacked with a homemade knife by another inmate at the Federal Penitentiary Unit 7 in Resistencia on Sunday around midday. The blow caused a superficial cut on his nose; Soria said he managed to avoid a deeper wound. His lawyer, Marcelo Ponce, confirmed the incident and said a formal complaint was filed with the local prosecutor’s office.

Soria claimed the attack followed prior threats and a night‑time search of the prison after staff noticed an inmate sharpening a makeshift weapon. He warned that, had he not moved, the assailant could have caused far more serious injury. The defendant plans to file a preventive habeas corpus to obtain protective measures for his physical integrity. The assault occurred while Soria is detained as one of 17 defendants in the trial over the disappearance of nine‑year‑old Loan Danilo Peña, although he is not among the seven directly accused of the child’s abduction. The federal prosecutor indicated the case will be investigated by the Resistencia justice system and stated the incident is not directly related to the trial.