In Ecuador, inmates from six prisons have taken 50 prison guards and seven police officers hostage. The interior minister is concerned for their safety, he said at a press conference in the capital Quito.
A few days ago, a large-scale security check took place in a prison in the city of Latacunga, involving hundreds of police and military personnel. They searched for weapons, ammunition and explosives. The hostage taking may be in retaliation for that operation, although it is also claimed to be a protest over the transfer of detainees to other prisons.
In the capital, car bombs also recently went off at two buildings of the prison service. No one was injured in the process. According to President Guillermo Lasso, those two attacks are also a response to measures in prisons. Ten people have been arrested.
Drug cartels
Ecuador’s prisons are known for gang violence, many of which have ties to Colombian and Mexican drug cartels. Since 2021, 430 prisoners have died.
Organized crime in Ecuador has had a disruptive effect on the country in recent years. Last month, a presidential candidate who wanted a tougher approach to crime and corruption was shot dead.
Many drugs produced in neighboring Peru and Colombia are shipped around the world through the country. In July, Dutch customs made the largest drug bust ever in the port of Rotterdam. The container that contained the coke also came from the South American country.
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