The President of Ecuador, Guillermo Lasso declared a state of emergency and night curfews in three coastal provinces on Monday, due to a wave of violence that left eight people dead over the weekend.
This announcement is yet another example of how Ecuador has been struggling with prison riots and waves of violence throughout the country.
According to President Lasso’s declaration, the state of emergency will last for 60 days in Manabi, Los Rios, and Duran near Guayaquil.
The duration of the curfew during this period will vary as investigations take place.
The cause for this heightened security is related to Agustin Intriago who was shot dead on Sunday while serving as mayor in Manta city.
In addition, Sunday’s riots at Penitenciaria del Litoral also resulted in six inmates dying and 11 others injured according to SNAI prison authority reports.
96 guards have also been taken hostage by prisoners located in Cotopaxi, Azuay, Cañar, El Oro and Napo jails who are now staging hunger strikes without providing any reasons for their actions.
This increase in prisoner violence is nothing short of unprecedented – 400 people have already died this year alone due to confrontations between gangs inside prisons all across Ecuador which has raised serious concerns from both the United Nations and Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR).
While it is clear that organized crime has permeated society itself for more than a decade now according to President Lasso’s statement following his security cabinet meeting, it cannot be denied that drastic measures need to be taken immediately before any further tragedies occur within these walls or beyond them.
