In Ecuador, a violent clash erupted Tuesday at the Litoral Penitentiary in Guayaquil, resulting in at least 15 inmates dead and 14 others injured.
This latest incident at Ecuador’s largest prison, housing about 6,800 inmates, highlights the ongoing violence within the nation’s penitentiary system, which has seen repeated outbreaks linked to rival drug cartels.
In video footage from the scene, inmates were seen laying bodies in rows, wrapped in blankets, in a courtyard of the prison. Elsewhere, dozens of prisoners sat in ordered lines under guard by security forces. A significant police and military presence was deployed to reestablish control, and the authorities confirmed the facility was now fully secured.
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Once known for stability, Ecuador has experienced rising levels of violence and is now a significant trafficking corridor. Since 2021, over 460 inmates have lost their lives in clashes within Ecuador’s prisons as gang-related violence continues to surge.
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