30 and not 24 inmates died and 42 were injured in violent gun battles in a prison in southwestern Ecuador. This was announced on Twitter by the governor of the coastal province of Guayas citing a local police officer, Commander Fausto Buenano. Confirmation of the increase in the number of victims comes directly from the governor and is also disseminated by the local media.
The incidents occurred around 9.15 am, in several prison pavilions and broke out due to a quarrel between rival gangs that have been fighting for control of prisons for some time. There are also television images showing the assaults. People accused of murder, drug trafficking and drug trafficking are held inside the penitentiary. According to the commander of police zone 8, General Fausto Buenaño, the incidents occurred when prisoners from wards 8 and 9 attempted to take control of ward 5, in retaliation for their refusal to join one of the gangs. . At least 6 of the victims were beheads, while the others died from knife wounds and bullet wounds.
According to the Primicia.ec newspaper, this is the second most violent massacre recorded this year, following that of February 2021, when 79 prisoners died in a series of coordinated riots in four prisons across the country. The clashes come a day after Fausto Cobo left the direction of the National Service for Comprehensive Assistance to Adults, Deprived of Liberty and Adolescents of Ecuador (SNAI) and was replaced by Bolívar Garzón. Garzón was director of the Latacunga prison before assuming the post of head of the governing body of Ecuador’s prison system.