September 2021 Guayaquil prison riot

The September 2021 Guayaquil prison riot occurred at the Litoral Penitentiary in Guayaquil, Ecuador on 28 September 2021. At least 123 inmates were killed and several others were injured in the riot that took place in that prison. It was the deadliest prison fight in the country's history[1][2] and one of the deadliest in Latin American history.[3]

September 2021 Guayaquil prison riot
Date28 September 2021 (2021-09-28)
VenueLitoral Penitentiary
LocationGuayaquil
Coordinates02°03′09″S 79°56′42″W
TypeRiot
CauseGang rivalry
MotiveTo gain criminal leadership
ParticipantsPrison inmates
Deaths123 inmates

Background

The confrontations between the criminal gangs began after the death of Jorge Luis Zambrano, leader of the Los Choneros gang, one of the largest and oldest criminal organizations in the country. Zambrano was assassinated on 20 December 2020 and as a result of the incident, several groups that were previously part of Los Choneros separated from the structure and began to attack their former leaders. These groups became the bands of Los Chone Killers, Los Lobos, Los Pipos and Los Tiguerones.[3]

According to the news portal Primicias, the confrontation that led to the massacre at the penitentiary would have occurred in response to the celebration of the birthday of one of the leaders of Los Choneros in one of the penitentiary's pavilions, on the night of 24 September. Members of Los Choneros allegedly stated during the celebration that they were the most powerful gang inside the prison, which would have angered members of the Los Lobos and Los Tiguerones gangs.[4]

The massacre

The clashes between the gangs began around 9:30 in the morning of 28 September, when the first detonations of explosives were heard inside the jail and it was decided to evacuate the administrative personnel working there. Inmates from pavilions 8 and 9 entered pavilion 5 and attacked their rivals, resulting in around 35 deaths and 48 injuries.[5] Members of the Los Tiguerones gang also attacked inmates in pavilions 1 and 3 and beheaded five of them.[4]

As a consequence of the first confrontation that occurred in the morning, another retaliatory attack took place.[6]

Response

On September 30, around 900 police and military personnel entered the Litoral Penitentiary to pacify the prison, in response to President Guillermo Lasso's announcement the day before that some pavilions still did not have a police presence. During the entry, the security forces found improvised checkpoints built by the inmates and holes in several walls used by the attackers to enter other pavilions in search of victims.[7]

At least five of the dead were found to have been beheaded, officials said.[8]

In the wake of the clashes on 28 September, Ecuador plans to pardon up to 2,000 inmates.[9]

Lasso declared a state of emergency. He has been trying to control the prison system, with the prison violence completely in the hands of criminal gangs. The state has lost control and now has a state of emergency.[10]

November 2021 riots at Litoral Penitentiary
Main article: November 2021 Guayaquil prison riot

Another riot occurred at Litoral Penitentiary on 13 November 2021. Reuters and Swissinfo reported 68 prisoners were killed[11] and over a dozen were seriously injured during this riot.[12][13][14][15][16]

See also

References
  1. "Ecuador jail: Death toll in Guayaquil prison fight passes 100". BBC. 29 September 2021. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  2. "(En vivo) Presidente Guillermo Lasso ofrece rueda de prensa sobre situación carcelaria tras masacre en Penitenciaría del Litoral". El Universo (in Spanish). 29 September 2021. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  3. Loaiza, Yalilé (30 September 2021). "Choneros vs Lobos: cómo son las dos megabandas con 20.000 presos que están provocando un baño de sangre en las cárceles de Ecuador". Infobae. Archived from the original on 1 October 2021. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  4. "'Alarde' de Los Choneros desató masacre en Penitenciaría de Guayaquil". Primicias. 29 September 2021. Archived from the original on 29 September 2021. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  5. "El número de presos asesinados en Guayaquil asciende a 26, Policía dice que hay decapitados". El Comercio. 28 September 2021. Archived from the original on 29 September 2021. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  6. Paredes, Norberto (30 September 2021). "Ecuador: 4 claves que explican qué hay detrás de la masacre carcelaria que dejó al menos 116 muertos, la peor de la historia del país". BBC. Archived from the original on 1 October 2021. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  7. "Solo 20 de los 118 reos asesinados han sido identificados; se han entregado 4 cuerpos a las familias". El Universo. 30 September 2021. Archived from the original on 1 October 2021. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
  8. "62 Inmates Dead In Ecuador Prison Riots". NDTV. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  9. "Ecuador to pardon thousands after 118 die in worst-ever prison riot". Reuters. 2 October 2021. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  10. "Ecuador declares prison emergency after scores killed in gang battle". NBC News.
  11. "Ecuador prison violence leaves at least 68 dead, dozens injured".
  12. "Dozens of inmates killed in latest Ecuador prison clashes".
  13. Valencia, Alexandra; Garcia, Yury (14 November 2021). "Ecuador prison violence leaves at least 68 dead, dozens injured". Reuters. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  14. "Dozens of inmates killed in latest Ecuador prison clashes". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  15. "Dozens of inmates die in a battle between prison gangs in Ecuador". NPR. Associated Press. 13 November 2021. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  16. "Scores of inmates killed in latest Ecuador prison riot". France 24. 13 November 2021. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
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