Authorities reported last Sunday that at least six inmates were killed and 11 more were hurt in fighting between gang members over the weekend in an Ecuadorian prison. This was the most recent instance of violence to shake the nation’s jail system.
More than 120 prisoners have been killed during riots and gang battles in Ecuadorian prisons so far this year (Source: Vicente Gaibor del Pino/Reuters)
Jail System Security Must Be Alerted
The Guayas No. 1 jail in the western city of Guayaquil witnessed violence between convicts from different organized criminal groups between Saturday night and Sunday morning of the previous weekend, according to a statement from the SNAI prison authorities.
According to the released news from Reuters, inmates at 10 facilities in Ecuador, including the one where the most recent deaths took place, announced they were going on a hunger strike, according to the SNAI, although it gave no further details. As a result of the violence, further security measures were implemented throughout the entire penitentiary system. Thus, gang members are holding security officers hostage.
Since 2021, the South American nation has experienced a spate of violent jail riots that have claimed the lives of hundreds of prisoners. The conflict between drug gangs is what the government says is to blame for the carnage. For cocaine being transported to Europe and the US, Ecuador has grown into a significant transit country.
To stop the violence, President Guillermo Lasso has expanded the number of security personnel and twice declared a state of emergency within the jail system.
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