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Ecuador Prison Riot Leaves 14 Dead at Machala as Police Regain Control

The eruption highlights ongoing gang dominance inside Ecuador’s overcrowded prisons despite recent crackdowns.

Overview

  • Police reported 13 inmates and one guard were killed in the Machala facility, with about 14 others injured.
  • A roughly 40-minute confrontation involved gunfire, bombs and grenades, and officers were taken hostage during the chaos.
  • Some prisoners escaped during the violence, and authorities said 13 escapees were recaptured.
  • Officials said the dead belonged to rival gangs Los Choneros and Los Lobos, which the U.S. designated as foreign terrorist organizations earlier this month.
  • Authorities described the prison as holding about twice its intended capacity, noted control was reestablished, and did not specify the number of inmates still on the run or the status of the hostages.