The screams began before dawn—gunfire, explosions, and chaos echoing through the prison. By sunrise, more than 30 inmates were dead and dozens more injured, leaving a country already on edge facing renewed shock and fear.
Officials quickly labeled it a riot, but inside the facility, the violence appeared far more coordinated. Reports of hangings and asphyxiations suggested deliberate killings rather than spontaneous disorder.
The incident in Machala reflected a deeper crisis inside Ecuador’s prison system, where overcrowding and weak control have allowed criminal groups to gain significant influence behind bars.
