Title: Ecuador Declares State of Emergency as Police and Military Take Control of Prisons
Subtitle: Riots and Violence Prompt Drastic Measures
Date: July 25, 2023
Author: Redacción
Source: BBC News Mundo
The Ecuadorian government has declared a state of emergency in all prisons across the country following a series of severe riots that resulted in 18 deaths and 11 injuries. The situation has prompted authorities to deploy members of the police and the armed forces to restore order.
Juan Zapata, Ecuador’s Minister of the Interior, announced the measure, stating, “The forces of order take control of the centers of deprivation of liberty.” The state of emergency will be in effect for 60 days.
The intervention comes after a hunger strike by inmates in multiple prisons and a string of violent incidents, including shootings and explosions, at the Litoral penitentiary. The violent outbreak claimed the lives of all 18 inmates involved and left 11 others injured, according to the Prosecutor’s Office.
El Litoral, situated within a prison complex north of Guayaquil, is widely regarded as the most dangerous prison in Ecuador. Despite having a capacity of 9,500 inmates, the facility was housing nearly 3,000 individuals above its limit until the first quarter of this year.
To address the situation, approximately 2,700 soldiers and police officers entered the Litoral penitentiary on Tuesday. Their mission is not only to restore order but also to search for weapons, explosives, and ammunition within the facility.
The riots at Litoral were primarily triggered by a dispute between two gangs incarcerated in the prison.
In addition to the Litoral penitentiary, inmates in more than 10 other prisons across Ecuador have declared a hunger strike and have retained an unknown number of prison guards. As of Monday, more than 100 guards have been released, but the exact figure of those still being held remains unknown.
The prisoners’ demands include improvements in food and sanitary conditions within the prisons.
President Guillermo Lasso has taken drastic measures in response to the escalating violence within Ecuador. Less than 24 hours prior to declaring a state of emergency in the prisons, Lasso had already implemented a state of emergency in the provinces of Los Ríos and Manabí following the fatal shooting of the mayor of Manta, Agustín Intriago.
It is important to note that these incidents occur less than a month before the upcoming presidential elections in Ecuador, scheduled for August 20, which were called by President Lasso.
Stay updated with the latest news from BBC News World by downloading our app and activating notifications.