Ecuadorian authorities managed to control a riot at the Regional Prison in the coastal city of Guayaquil, the same prison from which Adolfo Macías, alias “Fito”, escaped on January 7. The incident left at least three inmates dead and six injured. President Daniel Noboa decreed a state of emergency after the wave of violence at the beginning of the year, when there were riots in seven prisons and a hostage taking at a television channel. Despite the measure, the Government recognizes an increase in extortion and kidnappings in recent weeks.
First modification:
4 min
At least three inmates dead and six injured is the result of the riot that occurred on the night of Wednesday, March 27 at the Guayaquil Regional Prison, when a state of exception is in force in Ecuador due to “internal armed conflict” declared by the Government against the gangs. of organized crime.
Through the social network from the country.
“We have regained control” of the prison, President Daniel Noboa declared Wednesday night. “I appreciate the bravery of the security forces (…) who neutralized the revolt before a possible escalation,” he added.
The riot, which broke out on Wednesday night, It is the first after overcoming a wave of violence in January, when alias “Fito” escapedthere were simultaneous riots in seven prisons and organized crime kidnapped journalists from a live local news program in Guayaquil.
Police, firefighters and relatives of inmates have remained since Wednesday night in the surroundings of the Guayas Regional Prison waiting for information about their relatives.
According to the authorities, the balance of the events is at least three inmates dead and six injured. Relatives and witnesses claim that the inmates of the regional prison burned mattresses and rioted in protest against the conditions to which they are supposedly subjected by the military who control the prison.
This was stated by relatives of the inmates for the Ecuadorian media RTS.
ATTENTION! 🔴 Relatives of people deprived of their liberty in the Guayaquil regional prison state that their relatives are tortured by elements of the national police and Armed Forces.
•@charliepiza with the details. 📲 pic.twitter.com/abOd6MlmzM— RTS (@RTSEcuador) March 28, 2024
According to videos broadcast on social networks, the prisoners shouted that they feared for their lives.
Ecuador in state of emergency
The Andean country is struggling to control the spiral of violence, while mayors fear for their lives and the national government recognizes an increase in extortion and kidnappings amid a state of emergency declared to combat criminal groups.
The murder on March 23 of Brigitte García, the youngest mayor of Ecuador, renewed the concern of the authorities in a country that already has records of political crimes such as that of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio in 2023.
In response to the violence, which has been increasing for more than a year, the government of President Daniel Noboa ordered widespread operations by security forces. Between January 9 and March 10, almost 13,000 people were arrested, according to official figures, 280 of them for alleged connections to terrorism.
Organized crime violence in Ecuador caused some 8,000 deaths in 2023according to the Police, almost two thirds more than the figure for 2022. Given the situation, Noboa decreed the state of emergency throughout the Ecuadorian territory on January 8 and in March it was extended for 30 days.
The state of emergency aims to “precaute and guarantee security and integrity, as well as the other rights of citizens, public order, social peace and the constituted order.”
According to the law, it also allows the mobilization of the police and the Armed Forces to control disturbances to order. Likewise, it includes a curfew to limit meetings and actions that may threaten public order.
With Reuters, AFP and local media
#Violence #Ecuador #inmates #dead #injured #left #prison #riot