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31 inmates killed in southern Ecuador prison, including 27 hanged
At least 31 prisoners were found dead in El Oro prison in Machala, southern Ecuador, early Sunday, with 27 of the victims hanged during a violent outbreak between rival gangs, according to officials. Four others died in clashes, while over 30 inmates sustained injuries.
Gang violence triggers deadly riot
Ecuador's prison service, SNAI, reported that the unrest began when inmates resisted plans to transfer some detainees to a newly constructed facility. Security personnel discovered the hanged bodies on the prison's third floor hours after the initial clashes.
The incident follows a September riot at the same prison, where 13 inmates and a guard were killed in gang-related violence. Relatives of prisoners have repeatedly urged authorities to improve security, including segregating rival factions, while local residents demand the facility's relocation from Machala's city center.
Systemic overcrowding and gang dominance
Ecuador's prisons have faced years of deadly riots and gang warfare, with hundreds of inmates killed in recent violence. Two prominent gangs, Los Lobos and Los Choneros, were designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations by the U.S. State Department in September, underscoring their role in the country's escalating crime crisis.
Government response: New maximum-security prison
President Daniel Noboa's administration announced earlier this year the construction of El Encuentro, a high-security prison in Santa Elena province. Scheduled to open in late November, the facility will incorporate advanced security measures, according to the interior minister.
Prison gangs have fueled Ecuador's surge in violent crime, with rival factions battling for control behind bars and beyond.
Ecuadorian authorities and U.S. State Department
