31 prisoners die in hostilities of an Ecuadorian prison
- Last Saturday 22, fighting began among prisoners in the Litoral prison of the Ecuadorian city of Guayaquil. Official sources have announced the deaths of 31 prisoners and 13 wounded, including a police officer. The police and the army have regained control.
The war between prisoners of the Los Lobos and Los Tiguerones bands breaks out a few weeks after the truce between them broke. The objective of these two groups is to take internal control of Ecuadorian prisons, as the authorities have pointed out.
"The strength of the State will never contract," said Interior Minister Juan Zapata, "will recover the peace and tranquillity of Ecuadorians."
For his part, President Guillermo Lasso has established a state of emergency in all prisons because of the situation in which he lives. When hostilities began in Guayaquil prison, twelve prisoners began hunger strikes, 137 officials held, of which 120 were released on Tuesday. There have already been more hunger strikes, driven by prisoners calling for the transfer to other prisons.
All this is happening amidst the presidential election campaign, convened on 20 August, which has had a violent start: the mayor of the city of Manta, Agustín Inwheat, has been shot dead over the weekend, and the young woman, Ariana Chancay, who approached the mayor asking for help buying the uniform for the female football team Las Dragonas.
