A violent riot inside a prison in southwest Ecuador has become one of the country’s deadliest incidents this year, leaving at least 31 inmates dead, according to SNAI. Officials said most victims in the coastal city of Machala died from asphyxiation or hanging, though the exact circumstances remain under investigation as forensic teams continue their work.
The unrest erupted around 3 a.m., with nearby residents reporting gunfire, explosions, and screams before elite police units regained control. Authorities have not confirmed gang involvement, but Ecuador’s prisons are widely dominated by criminal groups; since 2021, more than 500 inmates have been killed in similar clashes. Analysts at Insight Crime describe the prison system as the epicenter of organized crime, a crisis the government of President Daniel Noboa says is fueled by gang warfare spilling behind bars.
