The prison violence comes amid a national emergency declared by President Guillermo Lasso in October that empowers security forces to fight drug trafficking and other crimes.
At least 68 prisoners were killed and 25 wounded on November 13 in a protracted encounter between rival gangs inside Ecuador’s biggest prison, while officials said it took most days to regain control of the Littoral peninsula, which has recently just in Country’s worst prison bloodbath,
Officials said the latest outbreak of fighting between prison gangs linked to international drug cartels occurred just before dawn at the prison in the coastal city of Guayaquil. In the video going viral on social media, some bodies are seen lying on the ground inside the jail, with burnt.
Officials said the firing lasted for about eight hours and then in the afternoon fresh clashes were reported in some parts of the jail.
Presidential spokesman Carlos Gijón finally announced later in the night that “the situation in the entire peninsula is under control.” He said around 900 police officers have brought the situation under control.
In the initial battle, the prisoners “tried to dynamite a wall to get into Pavilion 2 to carry out a massacre. They also burned mattresses to attempt to drown [their rivals] In smoke, ”said the governor of Guayas province, Pablo Arosemena.
“We are fighting against drug trafficking,” said Mr. Arosemena. “it’s very hard.”
The fighting between the gangs led to bloodshed less than two months later, killing 119 people in the prison, which houses more than 8,000 inmates.
Police Commander General Tanya Varela said earlier in the day that drones flown over the chaos showed prisoners in three pavilions were armed with guns and explosives. Officials have said that arms and ammunition are smuggled into prisoners through vehicles that carry supplies and sometimes by drones.
The prison violence comes amid a national emergency declared by President Guillermo Lasso in October that empowers security forces to fight drug trafficking and other crimes.
On 13 November, President Lasso tweeted that “the first right we must guarantee is the right to life and liberty, which is not possible if the security forces do not act to protect.” He was referring to the Constitutional Court’s recent refusal to detain the army in prisons despite the state of emergency. Soldiers are currently outside Littoral.
Ecuadorian safe havens are witnessing a wave of brutal violence.
The bloody fighting inside the Littoral Prison in late September that killed 119 inmates was described by officials as the worst prison massacre in the South American nation. At least five of the dead were beheaded, officials said. Last February, 79 prisoners were killed in simultaneous riots in different jails. So far this year, more than 300 inmates have died in clashes between prisoners in Ecuador.
The relatives of the prisoners gathered outside the jail to take the news of their loved ones.
“Enough of this. When will they stop the murder? It’s a prison, not a slaughterhouse, they’re humans,” said Francisca Chankey, whose brother has been in prison for eight months.
Some called for the Ecuadorian military to take control of the prisons.
“What is the lasso waiting for? That there are more deaths?” said Maritza Vera, whose son is a prisoner. “Pity, where are the human rights. We thought this was about to change, but it’s worse.”
Ecuador’s penitentiary system holds about 40,000 prisoners, which is far beyond the capacity of 30,000. Out of this, a total of 15,000 have not been punished.
Mr. Arosemena said officials in Ecuador would deal with prison overcrowding by granting clemency, transferring prisoners and sending some foreign prisoners back to their homes.
“There will be over 1,000 clemencies, but it is part of a process,” he said.
The governor of Guayas also said that Ecuador would receive international aid from countries such as Colombia, the United States, Israel and Spain to deal with the crisis in its prisons. Support will be in resources and logistics.
“For example, it costs $4 million to install a freight scanner in the Guayaquil Peninsula to avoid weapons penetration,” Mr. Arosemena said.
Ms Vera said the situation was frustrating the families of the prisoners.
“I feel sad and in pain because so much has died,” Ms Vera said.
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