Six prisoners were found hanged in an Ecuadorian prison

At least six prisoners were found dead in a prison in the port city of Guayaquil, Ecuador, local newspaper El Universo reported on Wednesday.

Citing the authorities, the newspaper reported that the prisoners were found hanging in their cells. El Universo understands that the part of the penitentiary where the bodies were found is controlled by the Los Águilas criminal organization.

Bloody showdowns between rival gangs are not uncommon in overcrowded Ecuadorian prisons. Between 2021 and 2022, more than 400 people were killed in the prisons of the South American state, according to press reports.

As in other Latin American countries, many penitentiaries are controlled by criminal organizations, the prison guards often only make sure that the prisoners do not escape, and the prisoners largely live their own lives inside the walls.

(MTI)