Ecuador's president, Guillermo Lasso, has declared a 60-day state of emergency in the country's prisons and authorised the armed forces to regain control of jails following violence in the Penitenciaría del Litoral prison in Guayaquil, The Guardian reported on July 25. The clashes between organised criminal gangs resulted in 18 deaths, with over 10 people injured, including a police officer. The prison, designed to hold around 9,500 inmates, exceeded its capacity by almost 3,000 in the first quarter of the year.
The Penitenciaría del Litoral is known for its dangerous conditions, and it has experienced similar violent incidents in the past, such as a gang battle in 2021 that killed 119 inmates and a riot in April that left 12 inmates dead and three injured.
In addition to the violence in Guayaquil, prisoners in 13 other prisons in Ecuador declared a hunger strike and took 96 prison guards hostage, demanding better sanitary conditions, food, and other issues.
Ecuador's prison system has long faced structural problems, leading to concern from international organisations like the United Nations and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. President Lasso has repeatedly declared states of emergency in an attempt to tackle the escalating violence in the country's prisons.
In response to the recent incidents, the government has deployed heavily equipped police and military forces to regain control of the Penitenciaría del Litoral. The military intervention will continue until there is no longer a threat to prisoners or officials.
The situation adds to the challenges faced by the country amid campaigning for elections scheduled for 20 August. Some presidential candidates have pledged prison reforms, including the implementation of electronic surveillance systems and hiring more prison officers to address the crisis.
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