A violent riot at a prison in Machala, Ecuador, resulted in the deaths of four inmates and injuries to over 30 others on Sunday. The incident erupted during a reorganization of inmates in preparation for the opening of a new maximum-security facility in a different province, according to Ecuador’s prison oversight agency.
This latest unrest occurred less than two months after a similar incident at the same facility led to the deaths of 14 inmates, which authorities attributed to gang-related disputes. The prison in Machala has become notorious for its violent environment, exacerbated by overcrowding and insufficient state control over inmate activities.
Authorities reported that they regained control of the prison following the riot, which also left one police officer injured. The condition of the injured inmates has not been disclosed.
Ecuador’s prison system has increasingly drawn attention due to its alarming conditions. Over the past several years, prisons have become battlegrounds for rival gangs linked to drug trafficking organizations from Colombia and Mexico. These criminal groups are known to smuggle weapons into the facilities, allowing them to continue orchestrating criminal enterprises from behind bars.
According to official data, over 500 individuals have lost their lives in prison riots since 2021. In a particularly troubling incident last year, coordinated riots across multiple prisons led to the hostage-taking of 150 prison guards, highlighting the pervasive challenges within the correctional system.
As this situation unfolds, it raises significant concerns about the safety and management of Ecuador’s prisons, which struggle under the weight of overcrowding and corruption. The government faces mounting pressure to implement reforms that can effectively address the underlying issues fueling such violence.
