At least 14 people have died in a violent confrontation at a prison in Ecuador, with police reporting that 13 inmates and one prison guard were killed in clashes sparked by rival gangs.
The chaos occurred in the Machala prison, where witnesses reported hearing explosions and gunfire in the early hours of Monday.
Police Chief William Calle indicated that some prisoners managed to escape during the incident, although 13 have already been recaptured.
This incident highlights the ongoing problem of deadly gang riots within Ecuador's prisons, where gang members frequently target rivals.
The clashes were reportedly initiated by the gang known as Los Lobos Box, who have yet to comment on the violence. Early reports indicate that security forces responded to an alarm from one of the prison wings, only to be taken hostage by inmates, resulting in the death of the guard.
Security details claim that some inmates exploited a breach in the perimeter wall, created by an explosive device they had managed to bring into the prison, to flee.
Additionally, 14 individuals, including two police officers, sustained injuries during the chaos.
Regaining control of the prison required the intervention of 200 police and military personnel. Local residents have long protested the prison's central location, emphasizing the risks it poses to the community.
Ecuador is grappling with escalating gang violence, transforming it from one of Latin America's safest nations to one of its most dangerous. Gangs have established operations to manage narcotics trafficking from behind bars and have formed alliances with powerful drug cartels.
Earlier this month, the United States formally designated two Ecuadorian gangs as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, citing their brutal tactics aimed at controlling drug trafficking routes and terrorizing local populations.
