08 Jan 2024 | 05:23 PM UTC
Ecuador: Security forces mobilize outside El Inca prison in response to a riot in Quito as of the afternoon of Jan. 8
Increased security is likely near El Inca prison in Quito, Ecuador, as of the afternoon of Jan. 8 amid security response to a prison riot.
Increased security is likely near El Inca Prison in Quito as of the afternoon of Jan 8 due to riots inside the prison. Authorities deployed at least 40 additional soldiers to support the police in controlling the riot. Some reports indicate that several prisoners managed to escape during the incident. There have been no immediate reports of casualties. Similar disturbances have been reported in other parts of the country, such as Cuenca and Machala.
Authorities will likely impose increased security measures such as security cordons and roadblocks, prompting localized transport disruptions, and may expand security operations to capture reported escapees, prompting clashes.
Avoid the affected area. Adhere to all instructions issued by local authorities.
Clashes within prisons have occurred in Ecuador in recent months amid growing violence related to drug-trafficking organizations (DTOs) nationwide. Los Choneros have been among the most prominent, having reportedly been linked to various prison riots and even the Aug. 9 assassination of Fernando Villavicencio, the presidential candidate of the Movimiento Construye (MC25) party. Adolfo Macias, the leader of Los Choneros, escaped from his prison in Guayaquil on Jan. 7.
