Ecuador’s military on Thursday descended on a massive prison after several alarming events, including the escape of a gang boss and the alleged assassination of a prosecutor.
Hundred of Ecuadoran soldiers and police marched into the major prison complex in Guayaquil, video footage released by Ecuador’s military shows. Photos show prisoners kneeling or lying on the floor of the prison in their underwear with their hands tied. Dozens of military vehicles arrived at the prison as well.
𝑨𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒔, 𝒅𝒓𝒐𝒈𝒂𝒔 𝒚 𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒐 𝒆𝒏 𝒆𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒐, 𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒔 𝒆𝒏 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒐́𝒏 𝒂𝒍 𝑪𝑷𝑳 𝑬𝒍 𝑶𝒓𝒐 𝑵.°𝟏
El #BloqueDeSeguridad realizó un registro a las celdas del Centro de Privación de Libertad N.° 1 #ElOro y se encontró:
– 02 arma… pic.twitter.com/1YqtOD9pjW
— Ejército Ecuatoriano (@EjercitoECU) January 19, 2024
All Ecuador prison staff held hostage by inmates now free, officials say https://t.co/UMoV955Idq pic.twitter.com/Wi1ZyeNRsf
— Reuters World (@ReutersWorld) January 14, 2024
Last week, gang leader Adolfo Macías Villamar, known as “Fito,” escaped from the same prison complex. On January 7, police found his cell empty when they came to move him to a higher security wing within the prison.
Fito is the leader of Los Choneros, one of the most dangerous gangs in Ecuador, which works with cartels in Mexico and is involved in drug trafficking to the U.S.
The news of the crime boss’ escape caused riots in at least six jails that in some cases involved prison guards held hostage. Explosives were also set off in some cities.
The situation prompted a swift government crackdown, which led to retaliation from Ecuador’s powerful drug cartels.
The day after Fito’s escape on January 8, Ecuadoran President Daniel Noboa declared a state of emergency amid the chaos.
A day later on January 9, a group of armed criminals stormed a local television station, TC Television, while it was broadcasting live.
The attackers fired guns and forced staff to lie on the ground.
One woman could be heard saying, “Don’t shoot, please don’t shoot.”
After about 30 minutes, police came into the television studio and arrested 13 people, including many teenagers.
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Then on Wednesday, the prosecutor who was leading the investigation into the television network attack was assassinated in Guayaquil, according to Ecuador’s Attorney General Diana Salazar.
Since then, police have arrested two men allegedly connected to the prosecutor’s assassination, according to General Commander of the National Police, Cesar Zapata.
“I am going to be emphatic, the organized criminal groups, criminals, terrorists will not stop our commitment to the Ecuadorian society, we will continue with more strength and commitment,” Salazar said.
The Guayaquil prison, which is near Ecuador’s biggest port and export hub, has become the locus of the clash between the government and organized crime.
Ecuador has become the globe’s biggest cocaine distributor, and the drug cartels move huge amounts of that cocaine through the Guayaquil port. Much of the cocaine originally comes from neighboring countries Colombia and Peru.