Ecuador Launches Raids in Largest Prison After Gang Clashes

Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso announced joint police and military raids at the Litoral Penitentiary in Guayaquil, the country’s largest prison, following clashes between rival organized crime gangs that left two inmates injured. The operation aims to uncover weapons, ammunition, explosives, and banned items within the prison.

President Lasso emphasized the commitment to combating corruption and disarming criminal organizations operating in the prison system. The raids are part of a state of emergency declared by the government for the entire penitentiary system in the wake of a massacre that claimed 31 lives at Litoral Penitentiary in July. The ongoing violence has resulted in more than 400 inmate deaths since February 2021.