Consternation in Santiago: Relatives demand clarification on inmate’s death after receiving medical attention
An atmosphere of pain and uncertainty surrounds the family of Luis Alberto Blanco Minaya, a 35-year-old man who was serving a 20-year sentence at the Rafey Men’s Correction and Rehabilitation Center. The inmate’s death, after being transferred to a hospital due to health complications, has prompted his loved ones to request a thorough investigation into the events.
According to the relatives’ testimony, Blanco Minaya was taken to the Presidente Estrella Ureña Regional University Hospital due to severe stomach pain. The family members claim that, at the time of his admission, the inmate was conscious and walking on his own, but his health condition deteriorated rapidly shortly after receiving an injection to mitigate the pain.
My brother arrived walking with a stomach ache. After that injection, he started to get worse. The next day he couldn’t walk, he didn’t recognize anyone, and he didn’t even know his own name. Then they called us to tell us he had died. We want to know what happened.
Juan Manuel Polanco Minaya, brother of the deceased
Questions about the medical procedure
Rodaly Mancebo, a close friend of the victim, supported the family’s version by pointing out that the inmate, although showing weakness, did not show signs of extreme severity upon arriving at the hospital. Mancebo indicated that, after the administration of the medication, the patient stopped eating and lost the ability to communicate, with his clinical condition worsening until the fatal outcome.
The family has expressed their distress not only over the passing, but also over the subsequent handling of the body. According to their account, after having begun preparations for the wake at their residence, authorities from the Public Ministry and police officers arrived to remove the body and transport it back to the National Institute of Forensic Sciences (INACIF) in Santiago, where an autopsy will be performed to determine the official causes of death.
- Background: Blanco Minaya, a resident of La Yagüita de Pastor, was serving a 20-year sentence for a robbery case.
- Claim: The relatives insist on the deceased’s innocence regarding the sentence received and demand total transparency in the current investigative process.
- Legal status: The body remains under forensic analysis to clarify if there was any irregularity in the medical care received.
So far, the competent authorities are keeping the case under investigation. Blanco Minaya’s loved ones maintain that they will not rest until they obtain clear answers as to how a patient who walked in lost his life under medical custody.
