More than 50 injured – Dozens rush to jail seeking information on relatives
The director of the Ecuadorian penitentiary system announced today that the death toll from the riots that broke out in the country’s prison has risen to at least 30 and that the authorities are still trying to retrieve 10 bodies.
Authorities in the South American country reported last night that clashes broke out at the Penitenciaria del Litoral penitentiary in the state of Guayaquil, which has been the scene of bloody clashes between gangs over control of the prison in recent months.
Six of the victims of the clashes, in the third deadly uprising in Ecuador this year, were beheaded.
“We have about 10 bodies being removed at the moment, with the coordination of the police and the prosecutor’s office,” Bolivar Garzon, head of the SNAI penitentiary outside the prison, told reporters.
According to him, the number of people injured in the clashes increased to 52 from 48.
Dozens of people rushed to jail seeking information about their relatives and claiming responsibility for the officials responsible for the safety of detainees. The government has stepped up its military presence outside the facility.
Riots broke out in February and July in Ecuadorian prisons, where a total of 39,000 people are being held. At least 79 people were killed in violent violence in February and 22 in July.
