Ecuadorโs military on Thursday descended on a massive prison after several alarming events, including the escape of a gang boss and the alleged assassination of a prosecutor.
Hundred of Ecuadoran soldiers and police marched into the major prison complex in Guayaquil, video footage released by Ecuadorโs military shows. Photos show prisoners kneeling or lying on the floor of the prison in their underwear with their hands tied. Dozens of military vehicles arrived at the prison as well.
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El #BloqueDeSeguridad realizรณ un registro a las celdas del Centro de Privaciรณn de Libertad N.ยฐ 1 #ElOro y se encontrรณ:
โ 02 armaโฆ pic.twitter.com/1YqtOD9pjW
โ Ejรฉrcito Ecuatoriano (@EjercitoECU) January 19, 2024
All Ecuador prison staff held hostage by inmates now free, officials say https://t.co/UMoV955Idq pic.twitter.com/Wi1ZyeNRsf
โ Reuters World (@ReutersWorld) January 14, 2024
Last week, gang leader Adolfo Macรญas Villamar, known as โFito,โ escaped from the same prison complex. On January 7, police found his cell empty when they came to move him to a higher security wing within the prison.
Fito is the leader of Los Choneros, one of the most dangerous gangs in Ecuador, which works with cartels in Mexico and is involved in drug trafficking to the U.S.
The news of the crime bossโ escape caused riots in at least six jails that in some cases involved prison guards held hostage. Explosives were also set off in some cities.
The situation prompted a swift government crackdown, which led to retaliation from Ecuadorโs powerful drug cartels.
The day after Fitoโs escape on January 8, Ecuadoran President Daniel Noboa declared a state of emergency amid the chaos.
A day later on January 9, a group of armed criminals stormed a local television station, TC Television, while it was broadcasting live.
The attackers fired guns and forced staff to lie on the ground.
One woman could be heard saying, โDonโt shoot, please donโt shoot.โ
After about 30 minutes, police came into the television studio and arrested 13 people, including many teenagers.
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Then on Wednesday, the prosecutor who was leading the investigation into the television network attack was assassinated in Guayaquil, according to Ecuadorโs Attorney General Diana Salazar.
Since then, police have arrested two men allegedly connected to the prosecutorโs assassination, according to General Commander of the National Police, Cesar Zapata.
โI am going to be emphatic, the organized criminal groups, criminals, terrorists will not stop our commitment to the Ecuadorian society, we will continue with more strength and commitment,โ Salazar said.
The Guayaquil prison, which is near Ecuadorโs biggest port and export hub, has become the locus of the clash between the government and organized crime.
Ecuador has become the globeโs biggest cocaine distributor, and the drug cartels move huge amounts of that cocaine through the Guayaquil port. Much of the cocaine originally comes from neighboring countries Colombia and Peru.