MORE than 250 prisoners failed to return to jails after being authorized to spend the holidays with their families.
At least 1,785 prisoners were released on Christmas Eve and were expected to report back by the evening of December 30.
However, 250 of them failed to return on time and are now considered as fugitives.
Two infamous gang leaders were among those who used the Christmas break to escape.
The Brazilian law allows some prisoners to spend the most important public holidays at home as long as they can meet certain criteria and show good behavior.
To recall, Brazilian drug trafficker Clauvino da Silva, who was serving a 73-year sentence, made international headlines after he tried to escape from a maximum prison facility in Rio de Janeiro in 2019 using a wig and a silicone mask.
Prison officials however discovered his tactic and stopped him on time.
He took his own life a day after his foiled attempt to escape as his story went viral around the world.
Prison officials in Rio de Janeiro launched an intense search operation to find the 250 fugitives.
