Zatvorenici u zatvoru u ekvadorskom gradu Cuenca uzeli su za taoce 50 čuvara i sedam policajaca, rekao je ministar unutrašnjih poslova Juan Zapata.– Zabrinuti smo za sigurnost naših službenika – rekao je on na konferenciji za novinare u glavnom gradu Quitu. Zapatini komentari došli su usred dana kada su dvije auto-bombe eksplodirale u Quitu, navodno kao odgovor na napore vlasti da očiste zatvorski sustav u zemlji.
– Postoje nasilne akcije poput one sa dva automobila zapaljena u Quitu sinoć, jasno je da je to reakcija na akciju. Akcija uvođenja reda u zatvorima, reakcija zastrašivanja – rekao je predsjednik Guillermo Lasso na događaju u provinciji Los Rios.
Lokalni novinar Christian Sanchez Mendieta izvijestio je da su zatvorenici u četvrtak stigli do zatvorskih krovova.
Bande za krijumčarenje droge u Ekvadoru trenutno vode rat za vlast, a zatvori su centri operacija.
Tri zatvora Latakunga, Cuenca i Azogues navodno su pod kontrolom kriminalne bande Los Lobos. U sukobima između Los Lobosa i članova drugih organiziranih kriminalnih grupa ubijeno je više od 430 zatvorenika u zatvorima Ekvadora od 2021.
Prisoners in the prison in the Ecuadorian city of Cuenca have taken 50 guards and seven police officers hostage, said the Minister of Interior, Juan Zapata.
“We are concerned about the safety of our officials,” he said at a press conference in the capital, Quito. Zapata’s comments came amid the day when two car bombs exploded in Quito, reportedly in response to government efforts to clean up the prison system in the country.
“There are violent actions like the two cars set on fire in Quito last night; it is clear that this is a reaction to the action. The action of restoring order in the prisons, the intimidation reaction,” said President Guillermo Lasso at an event in the province of Los Rios.
Local journalist Christian Sanchez Mendieta reported that the prisoners reached the prison rooftops on Thursday.
Drug smuggling gangs in Ecuador are currently engaged in a power struggle, and prisons are the centers of operations.
Three prisons, Latacunga, Cuenca, and Azogues, are reportedly under the control of the criminal gang Los Lobos. More than 430 inmates have reportedly been killed in clashes between Los Lobos and members of other organized criminal groups in Ecuadorian prisons since 2021.