The outbreak of violence at a prison in Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, located in the heart of Ecuador, left a high death toll this Monday. The State Attorney General reported 43 inmate fatalities as the chaos unfolded inside the facility.
The prosecutor’s office posted on X that 43 inmates had died so far, following initial figures from Interior Minister Patricio Carrillo, who said 41 inmates lost their lives during a press briefing.
Officials stated that most of the deaths were not the result of gunfire but came from sharp injuries. Carrillo explained that, while some bodies showed clear signs of life, most deaths appeared to be caused by stabbing or related violence.
Authorities noted that many of the deceased were found in pavilions and cells, highlighting how the unrest spread quickly and forced officers to retreat as others attempted to flee. A total of 112 prisoners had already left detention, with some seeking to escape and others trying to survive the turmoil inside the facility.
The National Police coordinated with the Armed Forces to secure the prison and its surroundings. Roadways linking the facility to the canton were secured, and security forces maintained control over the wider area of Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas to prevent further incidents.
Carrillo added that 13 people were wounded, some gravely, in clashes tied to a broader confrontation among criminal groups operating within the prison system. The groups identified included a faction known as Los Lobos and another gang calling itself R7.
Given the severity of injuries reported, officials cautioned that the death toll could rise in the hours ahead as operations continued inside the facility.
What happened at the Bellavista detention center was described by the minister as a targeted assault, with the same criminal network implicated in a previous clash at Turi prison in Cuenca, a conflict that left many inmates dead and several others injured. The response involved immediate actions to protect inmates and staff and to regain control of the facility.
The minister urged that gang leaders face stricter discipline through tighter management and oversight, including higher security measures within the prison system.
Investigations are ongoing as officials review how firearms were introduced into the facility and the steps taken by personnel during and after the incidents.
Other context
Across Ecuador, close to 400 prisoners have died in clashes between rival groups over the past two years. Authorities link these outbreaks to drug trafficking networks and the difficulties they pose for internal control, with repercussions reaching outside prison walls.
Recently, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) published a report addressing the ongoing prison crisis in Ecuador, urging the government to restore internal controls, improve conditions for detainees, and advance crime-prevention policies where incarceration is not the sole solution.
As of late 2021, the country housed more than 36,000 prisoners across 36 centers. Overcrowding remains acute in several facilities, with some prisons operating well above their intended capacity and facing incidents that highlight the need for reforms in management, rehabilitation, and safety.
To address the crisis, the government under President Guillermo Lasso began steps such as hiring new prison staff and considering broader pardons for petty offenders, while promising to develop a human rights-oriented approach to the prison system that emphasizes humane treatment and effective oversight.
These developments reflect an ongoing debate in the region about how to balance security, human rights, and rehabilitation in the face of evolving gang activity and the pressures it places on correctional institutions.