On March 30, 1996, the Sierra Chica riot began, considered one of the most violent episodes in the history of the Argentine penitentiary system. It lasted for eight days at the Unit Penitentiary No. 2 in Olavarría. The revolt started as an escape attempt that escalated into the total takeover of the prison, with hostages and clashes among inmates, in a context where the State lost control of the facility. During those days, murders, dismemberments, and incinerations of bodies were recorded, as well as extreme cases that marked public opinion, such as the alleged consumption of human remains and the use of a victim's head in a football match inside the prison. According to the Argentine News Agency, the riot left a toll of at least eight dead prisoners, although there were always doubts about the real number of victims due to missing bodies. The situation worsened with the presence of a judge inside the prison, who was exposed to serious risk during negotiations to regain control, while security forces attempted to contain the crisis from the outside. The episode exposed the serious flaws in the penitentiary system of the province of Buenos Aires and left a deep mark on history, revealing the level of violence and lawlessness that existed within the prisons.
