Two Inmates Escape Paraguayan Prison After Forcing Cell Bars and Cutting Fence

Two inmates, Pascual Benítez Miranda and Ignacio Cubilla, escaped from the Misiones Regional Penitentiary in Paraguay during the early hours of Tuesday, July 14. The escape occurred around 2:30 a.m. after the inmates allegedly forced open the bars of their cells in the admission ward.

According to reports, both prisoners then proceeded to the prison yard and cut through the wire mesh of the perimeter fence, managing to reach a street directly in front of the facility. The escape route was approximately 80 meters long within the prison grounds and located about 20 meters from the main entrance and 10 meters from a security guard post.

Investigating prosecutor Mirtha Valle indicated that the guard post on the corner was empty because the guard had reportedly gone to assist a sick inmate in the rear of the facility. The main entrance guard post was also reportedly unmanned due to staff shortages. These circumstances are central to the ongoing investigation into the security breach.

Pascual Benítez Miranda, 43, was serving a 26-year sentence for intentional homicide. Ignacio Cubilla, 51, was serving a 13-year sentence for drug trafficking. Benítez Miranda is known by the alias "El Sicario" and has a prior criminal history, including an incident in 2016 where he was involved with law enforcement.

The escape raises serious questions about security protocols and staffing levels at the Misiones Regional Penitentiary. Authorities are working to determine how the inmates managed to bypass security measures undetected and are pursuing efforts to recapture them.