Tensions Explode in Ecuador's Prisons Again

Ecuador's prisons are in chaos once more. This time, four inmates lost their lives, and over 30 others were hurt in a recent riot. The trouble started when inmates were being moved to a new high-security prison in another part of the country. This isn't the first time this prison has seen violence. Just a couple of months ago, 14 inmates died there in a fight between gangs. The prison is in Machala, a city by the coast in southwest Ecuador. Authorities managed to take control after the riot, but one police officer also got injured. No one knows who died or if gangs were involved again. It's also unclear how badly the injured inmates are hurt. Ecuador's prisons are some of the most dangerous in Latin America. They're overcrowded, and gangs linked to drug traffickers from Colombia and Mexico run things. These gangs have weapons smuggled in from outside and keep doing crime even from behind bars. Last month, another fight between drug gangs in a different prison killed at least 17 people. This prison is in Esmeraldas, near the Colombian border. Since 2021, over 500 people have died in prison riots in Ecuador. Last year, riots in multiple prisons led to 150 prison guards being taken hostage. The situation in Ecuador's prisons is getting worse. Something needs to be done to stop the violence and make these places safer.