Ecuadorian Authorities Regain Control After Prison Violence and Attacks

Criminal groups in Ecuador carried out car bombings, explosives, and took law enforcement officers hostage in response to government crackdowns on prisons.
No injuries reported from the explosions, and all hostages have now been released unharmed.
Violence attributed to struggles between criminal groups, including Mexican cartels, fighting for control of drug trafficking routes.
Ecuador has seen a spike in gang-related violence since the 2020 killing of a gang leader.
The government has been transferring inmates and trying to regain control of prisons from violent gangs.