Authorities: 10 inmates killed in Ecuador prison riot
Ten inmates are dead following a riot at a prison in Ecuador’s capital
Authorities: 10 inmates killed in Ecuador prison riot
Show all 3Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Ten inmates were killed Friday during a riot at a prison in Ecuador’s capital that authorities said took place as a result of the government’s decision to relocate three crime bosses to a high-security facility.
The unrest at the prison in Quito is the latest challenge to the country’s corrections system, the Service for Attention to Persons Deprived of Liberty, whose facilities have repeatedly seen deadly clashes among inmates.
The agency in a statement said police and the army regained control of the prison and will act “firmly and without truce to combat organized crime.”
The prosecutor’s office tweeted that the bodies of the inmates are being recovered.
Riots have become frequent in prisons in Ecuador, particularly at the Guayaquil Litoral Penitentiary. The prison in the port city of Guayaquil tallied the killings of 13 inmates a month ago. In September of last year, 126 inmates were killed there.
Consecutive riots prompted the government of President Guillermo Lasso to relocate the leaders of at least 10 gangs. Authorities have attributed the riots to territory disputes among national and international gangs.
Ecuador’s prison system is designed for about 30,000 inmates, but as of last month, the 53 state prisons housed about 35,000 people. Data from the corrections system show that 316 inmates were killed by other prisoners last year, while in 2022, the number is down to 130 homicides.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.