Ecuador prison bloodbath: at least 17 dead as gangs clash in Esmeraldas, second riot in days

A deadly riot at a prison in Esmeraldas, Ecuador, left at least 17 inmates dead on Thursday, officials said, marking the second major outbreak of violence in Ecuador’s prison system in a matter of days. Authorities described the fighting as a mass slaughter between rival drug gangs, with reports that some prisoners were decapitated or maimed as part of the brutal clashes. The toll within hours rose from 10 to 17, according to the SNAI prison authority, which administers the country’s penitentiaries. The coastal city near the Colombian border has become a flashpoint in a broader pattern of gang warfare that has spilled into facilities across the country.

Families gathered outside the prison, awaiting word on relatives as soldiers and police maintained a heavy presence. AFP and other outlets reported that witnesses described the sounds of gunfire and explosions, followed by chaos inside the facility. Images circulating on social media showed bodies and signs of violence on the grounds, corroborated by officials. The violence in Esmeraldas came after a second deadly riot in a matter of days, intensifying fears about the stability of Ecuador’s prison system and the reach of organized crime beyond the country’s borders.

In a related but separate incident earlier in the week, clashes in a southwest Ecuador prison killed 13 prisoners and a guard. In that incident, authorities reported that inmates used firearms and explosives, and that at least one escape occurred with some inmates subsequently recaptured. The string of violence has underscored a long-running crisis in a country with overcrowded facilities and powerful drug-trafficking gangs that have forged alliances with international cartels. Ecuador sits between Colombia and Peru, two major cocaine producers, and, according to government data, more than 70 percent of the world’s cocaine produced now passes through ports in Ecuador. The outbreaks of violence have increasingly drawn international attention to the country’s struggle to assert control inside its jails.

The spike in prison violence echoes a broader escalation in organized crime since 2021, when gang wars began spilling into Ecuador’s prisons. In that period, inmates have frequently carried out brutal killings, with bodies found dismembered or burned, and some attacks broadcast live on social media. Ecuador’s largest prison massacre occurred in 2021 in Guayaquil, where more than 100 inmates were killed in a single incident. The country has since faced recurring violence, including mass hostage situations and outside violence that has targeted guards and facilities in an ongoing battle for control of illegal networks.

President Daniel Noboa has framed the crisis as an internal security emergency, declaring a state of internal armed conflict and ordering the military to temporarily take control of prisons. The measure reflects a government intent to reassert control over facilities that have become battlegrounds for competing criminal groups. Security officials have pledged to widen operations against gangs, though details on timelines and scope have not been fully disclosed.

The weekend violence follows the recapture of Jose Adolfo Macias, the infamous head of the Los Choneros gang, in June this year. Macias had been serving a 34-year sentence since 2011 for involvement in organized crime, drug trafficking, and murder, but continued directing activities from behind bars. Videos circulated in past years showing Macias during days of apparent impunity, including parties with fireworks before his escape. Ecuadorian authorities have stressed that the crackdown will not be limited to one prison, but will target networks and leadership that sustain the violence in multiple facilities.

Authorities have not released a comprehensive, final casualty tally beyond the 17 confirmed dead in Esmeraldas, and it remained unclear how many prisoners remained unaccounted for or had escaped during the latest outbreak. Investigations into fault lines within the prison system, as well as potential collusion or security lapses, are ongoing. Officials said that additional security measures would be deployed as the government seeks to prevent further outbreaks of violence amid a broader fight against organized crime that has grown increasingly violent in Ecuador’s penitentiaries.

As authorities implement the military-led security plan, observers note that the broader challenge extends beyond the walls of Esmeraldas. The country’s prisons have long been seen as incubators for gang power and cartel influence, and the current violence is likely to prompt renewed scrutiny of prison conditions, inmate management, and the effectiveness of reforms designed to reduce overcrowding and curb illicit activity inside facilities. The unfolding events in Esmeraldas and across Ecuador will test the government’s ability to restore order while continuing targeted operations against the networks that sustain this brutal cycle of violence.