At least 31 dead and 30 injured after riot breaks out in Ecuador prison
Prison riot leaves multiple inmates dead
- A prison riot in Machala, southwest Ecuador, resulted in the deaths of at least 31 inmates and left 30 others injured.
- The violence erupted as inmates were scheduled for transfer to a new maximum-security facility, with 27 deaths attributed to asphyxiation.
- Authorities initially reported regaining control after four deaths but later confirmed additional fatalities following a separate flare-up.
- This incident follows a previous riot at the same prison less than two months ago, which claimed 14 lives and was blamed on gang disputes.
- Ecuador's prisons have become notoriously violent, with over 500 deaths since 2021, due to overcrowding, corruption, and criminal gangs vying for control and drug trafficking routes.