A prison fight in Ecuador has left at least 15 people dead and 14 others injured, authorities in the South American country said this week.
Guayaquil’s Litoral Penitentiary, where the fight took place, has been a recurring scene of riots and mass violence, including a 2021 incident that claimed the lives of 119 inmates.
The Prison Fight
Officials released limited information about the cause of the latest outbreak of violence. In a statement, prison authorities confirmed that police and military forces had been dispatched to regain control of the facility.
Helicopters were spotted circling above the prison, local media reported, as worried relatives gathered at the gates, seeking information on their loved ones inside.
In a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter, the Ecuador national bureau of prisons (SNAI) confirmed the number of fatalities and injuries from the fight.
“Faced with these events, the Security Block acted immediately to take full control of the facilities and activate a large-scale search operation, in addition to initiating there corresponding investigations to clarify what happened,” a translated version of the statement said. “A significant contingent of military and police personnel has been deployed to ensure security and prevent further incidents.”
The statement also noted that the prison is currently under control by authorities.
Police officers guard Del Litoral prison facilities after clashes that left 15 inmates dead in Guayaquil, Ecuador, on November 12, 2024. As of Tuesday, at least 14 other individuals were injured in the prison fight.
GERARDO MENOSCAL/AFP via Getty Images/Getty Images
Ecuador Prisons
Ecuador’s prisons rank among the deadliest in Latin America, where overcrowding, corruption and limited state oversight have fueled the growth of violent gangs. Many of these groups are tied to Ecuador’s booming narcotics trade and are armed with weapons smuggled in from outside.
In 2021, a prison fight at the Litoral Penitentiary resulted in 119 fatalities and left dozens of others injured. The Associated Press (AP) reported that the prison riot erupted after a dispute between the Los Lobos and Los Choneros gangs inside the prison.
The AP said Guayaquil’s Litoral Penitentiary was originally built to house 5,000 inmates, but at the time it held over 8,500, including key leaders of Ecuador’s largest drug trafficking gangs. These groups are battling for control over both international drug routes—with Ecuador serving as a transit hub bordering Colombia and Peru—and the domestic drug market.
Similar Incidents in the United States
In July 2024, an “altercation” at a maximum-security state prison in Nevada left three inmates dead and nine others injured.
The deadly melee broke out at Ely State Prison, which is the only maximum-security prison in the state. The names of the victims have not been released.
There have been 21 deaths in Nevada prisons this year, according to the Las Vegas Sun.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
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