At least 12 people have been killed and three others injured in shooting clashes between different criminal gangs inside the Penitenciaría del Litoral, Ecuador’s largest prison, located in the province of Guayaquil.
“The center is, at the moment, under control. However, the security institutions continue with the intervention work.”
“Due to the events registered, the procedures and procedures of verification will be maintained during the following hours, and the officialization of data with the Prosecutor’s Office is expected, as required by the regulations”, said the Ecuadorian National Service of Integral Attention of Prisoners of Liberty (SNAI), according to Ecuavisa channel.
The authorities are still evaluating the number of victims of the confrontation, which involved prisoners from wards 3, 5, 8, and 9.
Last Tuesday, six inmates from Ward 5 were found hanged in their cells.
In addition, on Wednesday, three correctional officers were killed after being shot during their lunch break in front of the prison.
This prison has been the scene since 2020 of killings between rival gangs in which more than 450 prisoners have died.
For several months, Ecuador has been facing a wave of violent crime, which has led to the resignation of the Secretary of Public Security.
With information from LGI