Ecuador Prison Massacre: 14 Dead, Including Guard, in Machala Gang Battle
Ecuador Prison Massacre: 14 Dead, Including Guard, in Machala Gang Battle
A brutal clash between rival gangs at a prison in Machala, Ecuador, has resulted in the deaths of 14 people, including one prison guard and 13 inmates. Another 14 individuals, including two police officers, sustained injuries during the violence that erupted in the early hours of Monday.
Police chief William Calle confirmed that the Los Lobos Box criminal gang is being blamed for instigating the deadly incident. Preliminary reports indicate that security personnel responding to an alarm call were taken hostage, leading to the guard’s death. Members of Los Lobos Box then reportedly stormed a wing housing rival inmates, initiating a violent confrontation.
Amidst the chaos, an unknown number of prisoners managed to escape through a breach in the perimeter wall, caused by an explosive device. Authorities have since recaptured 13 of the escapees. Security forces, comprising 200 police and soldiers, have successfully regained control of the facility.
This incident underscores Ecuador’s escalating battle against rampant gang violence, which has transformed the nation into one of Latin America’s most dangerous. Prison gangs, deeply entrenched in criminal enterprises, have forged alliances with Mexican cartels to control drug trafficking routes. Earlier this month, the US State Department designated two prominent Ecuadorean gangs, Los Lobos and Los Choneros, as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs), citing their use of terror and brutal violence to achieve their objectives.
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