Ecuador Prison Massacre: 14 Dead in Gang Violence at Machala Facility

Deadly Prison Riot Claims 14 Lives in Ecuador

A brutal prison riot at Machala Correctional Facility in southwestern Ecuador has left 14 people dead, including one prison guard and 13 inmates, with another 14 injured in the latest outbreak of gang violence plaguing the country's penal system.

Explosions and Hostage Crisis

Residents near the prison reported hearing explosions and gunshots in the early hours of Monday morning. According to Police Chief William Calle, the violence began when inmates took security personnel hostage after responding to an alarm call. 'When they arrived, the inmates took them hostage and killed one of the guards,' Calle stated during a press conference.

Gang Warfare Behind Bars

The attack has been attributed to Los Lobos Box, a powerful criminal gang that has been designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the United States earlier this month. Preliminary reports indicate that members of Los Lobos Box stormed into a wing housing rival gang members, leading to the deadly confrontation.

Some inmates managed to escape through a hole in the perimeter wall caused by an explosive device, though 13 have since been recaptured. The incident highlights the ongoing security crisis in Ecuador's prisons, where gangs maintain significant control and operate criminal enterprises from behind bars.

Broader Security Crisis

Ecuador has experienced a dramatic transformation from one of Latin America's safest countries to one plagued by drug-related violence. Prison gangs have formed alliances with Mexican cartels to control cocaine trafficking routes through Ecuador's ports to international markets.

The US State Department recently designated both Los Lobos and Los Choneros as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, stating their 'ultimate goal is to control drug trafficking routes through Ecuador by terrorising and inflicting brutal violence on the Ecuadorian people.'

Security forces deployed 200 police and soldiers to regain control of the facility, with the operation resulting in two police officers among the injured. Local residents have long demanded the prison's relocation from its central urban location. Source: BBC News