Tragic Surge in Violence: 31 Inmates Found Dead in Ecuador Prison

Tue Nov 11 2025 04:37:05 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A gruesome incident at El Oro prison highlights the escalating violence and overcrowding affecting Ecuador's correctional facilities.

In a horrifying event at El Oro prison in Machala, Ecuador, at least 31 inmates have been found dead, with 27 having been hanged. This incident follows violent clashes among rival gangs, raising urgent concerns over the safety and management of the country's overcrowded prisons. Authorities are under pressure to implement more security measures and address the deep-rooted issues fueling the violence.

At least 31 inmates have been found dead in a prison in southern Ecuador, including 27 who had been hanged, officials state.

Four prisoners were killed and more than 30 injured in clashes between rival gang members in El Oro prison in the city of Machala during the early hours of Sunday.

Hours later, security personnel who were alerted to a fresh outbreak of gang violence discovered the additional victims hanging on the third floor of the building, according to Ecuador's prison service.

The country’s overcrowded prisons have become notorious for deadly riots and gang conflicts, resulting in hundreds of inmate fatalities in recent years.

Ecuador's prison service, known by its initials as Snai, indicated that these clashes were triggered by plans to relocate some inmates to a newly-built prison.

This isn't the first incident of its kind at El Oro prison, as it faced another violent outbreak in September when 13 inmates and a guard lost their lives during gang-related clashes.

Families of the prisoners have called for heightened security within the prison, advocating for measures to keep rival gangs apart. Long-standing residents of Machala have echoed these sentiments, demanding that the prison be moved from its city center location.

The government, under President Daniel Noboa, has announced the construction of a new maximum-security facility in Santa Elena, dubbed El Encuentro, which is expected to be completed by late November and is set to incorporate enhanced security features.

For years, prison gangs have played a significant role in escalating violent crime across Ecuador, with two notorious groups, Los Lobos and Los Choneros, recently designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations by the U.S. Department of State.