Prison Riot Leaves 31 Dead, Dozens Injured in Ecuador

Authorities in Ecuador have confirmed that 31 inmates were killed and dozens more injured following a violent riot at Machala prison in El Oro province.

Twenty-seven prisoners were found dead from asphyxiation, while four others were killed, and dozens suffered injuries during the unrest.

Prison officials are working to determine the full circumstances of the incident, with forensic teams on site to investigate the causes of the deadly riot. The violence erupted around 3 a.m. local time, with nearby residents reporting sounds of gunfire, explosions, and cries for help from inside the prison.

Machala prison is the latest site in Ecuador’s ongoing wave of prison unrest. The country’s correctional facilities have increasingly become operational centres for rival drug trafficking gangs, with over 500 inmates killed in clashes over control of lucrative illegal trade in recent years.

Authorities confirmed that 33 inmates and one police officer were injured during the riot. Elite police units intervened immediately to restore control over the facility. The identities of the deceased and the exact triggers of the violence have not yet been disclosed.

Reports suggest the unrest may be linked to plans to transfer some inmates to a new maximum-security prison built by President Daniel Noboa’s government, scheduled to open this month in another province.

This is not the first deadly incident at Machala prison. A violent clash in late September resulted in the deaths of 13 inmates and one prison official, highlighting the ongoing security challenges in Ecuador’s correctional system.