Ecuador Prisons Experience Second Deadly Riot in Days, 30+ Inmates Killed

Ecuador's prisons are experiencing a severe crisis marked by deadly gang violence, with at least 17 inmates killed in a recent riot at Esmeraldas prison near the Colombian border, following another massacre days earlier that left 14 dead in Machala. Rival gangs such as Los Tiguerones, Los Lobos, and Los Choneros control different prison blocks and orchestrate attacks from outside via smuggled phones, contributing to ongoing turf wars linked to drug trafficking and extortion. Overcrowding, corruption among some officials, and inadequate security have allowed weapons and illicit communications to proliferate inside prisons, undermining state control despite military interventions. These violent outbreaks reflect broader struggles over drug routes through Ecuador, a key transit country for cocaine from Colombia and Peru. Families suffer as they seek information about missing loved ones, while experts call for comprehensive prison reforms including increased capacity, anti-corruption measures, and restrictions on contraband to restore order. The government's repeated emergency declarations have yet to end the cycle of massacres, underscoring the need for long-term solutions to dismantle criminal networks operating within and beyond the prison system.