Thursday, March 28, 2024

Over 50 inmates killed in riots at Ecuador prisons

QUITO: Over 50 inmates killed and several others injured in riots in three prisons of Ecuador on Tuesday.

The country’s police tweeted that the death numbers was more than “50”. It is due following riots at facilities unrest in the provinces of Guayas, Azuay and Cotopaxi.

Ecuador’s President Lenin Moreno, also on Twitter, attributed the riots to a “criminal organization”. Moreover it “carried out acts of violence in several prisons at the same time”.

According to him, “the authorities are trying to regain control”.

Police didn’t say whether order has restored after violence broke out in prisons in the southwestern port city of Guayaquil. Also in Cuenca and Latacunga in the Andes.

Further, Police commander Patricio Carrillo reported on rioting in several prisons in the South American country. Whereas he said “the situation is critical and over 50 inmates killed”.

Interior Minister Patricio Pazmino, meanwhile, wrote on Twitter that a central command post had set up in response to what he called “joint action by criminal organizations to incite violence in prison”.

However, in December, riots sparked by gang competition in an Ecuadorian prison killed 11 inmates and injured seven others.

But the emergency state for 90 days in the country’s prison, ordered by Moreno to control a “mafia” groups to reduce violence, had lifted in November.

Meanwhile about 38,000 prisoners in Ecuador prisons, a country of 17 million people.

According to police, since 51 people died in prison disputes in 2020.

In addition to reduce the number of inmates in the aftermath of the coronavirus epidemic, the government has lifted penalties for those convicted of minor offenses and reduced the density from 42 percent to 30 percent.

Latest news