Ecuador Grapples with Prison Riots: 300 Inmates Relocated to Maximum Security

Ecuador moved 300 high-risk prisoners to a new maximum-security facility following a deadly riot. The transfer aims to weaken criminal gang influence in overcrowded jails, which have seen numerous fatal clashes. Officials hope the move will curtail prison-originated violence ahead of a national referendum.

Ecuador has taken decisive action to handle its ongoing prison crisis by relocating 300 high-risk inmates to a new maximum-security facility on the country's coast, President Daniel Noboa announced on Monday. This action follows a violent clash that resulted in the deaths of 31 inmates in the south.

The transfer is part of Noboa's comprehensive plan to diminish the power of criminal gangs entrenched in the nation's overcrowded jails, where multiple fatal incidents have occurred in recent years. "The first 300 most dangerous inmates have already been moved to the Encuentro Prison," Noboa stated on social media, with accompanying images showing prisoners in orange uniforms under military guard.

The initiative comes at a critical time, just before a national referendum on allowing foreign military bases in Ecuador and convening an assembly to rewrite the constitution. Interior Minister John Reimberg noted that the recent violence erupted as inmates were informed of the impending transfer, highlighting the necessity of such actions to quell chaos instigated by gang leaders from within prisons.

(With inputs from agencies.)