The National Penitentiary Agency of Ecuador announced on Saturday that all hostages held by inmates have been liberated, amid continued violent clashes in the nation's prisons which resulted in the death of one guard and the injury of another.
Inmates had been holding 158 guards and 20 administrative staff hostage since Monday during an intense spike in violence within this South American country.
President Daniel Noboa lauded the police and armed forces for their successful operation in freeing the guards and staff in a post on the "X" social network platform.
The penitentiary agency stated that an investigation would be conducted to identify those responsible for the hostage-taking in the country, which is ravaged by gang violence linked to drug trafficking.
According to the French Press Agency, Ecuador has experienced new violent incidents in the prisons in the last 24 hours, which led to the death of at least one guard and the injury of another, as reported by the prison administration.
"Armed Clashes"
The French Press Agency added that "armed clashes" occurred between security forces and inmates at dawn in Machala prison (southwest). Additionally, the military and police conducted "intervention operations to restore order and normal life" within prisons in six cities.
At least five inmates escaped on Friday evening from the vast Guayaquil prison complex in southwest Ecuador, with two of them subsequently recaptured during an extensive manhunt, according to consistent sources.
Since Sunday, Ecuador has been facing an unprecedented security crisis following the escape of Adolfo Macias "Vito", the leader of the Choneros gang, from the tightly guarded Guayaquil prison.
Following "Vito's" escape, there have been rebellions and hostage-taking of guards in various prisons, attacks on the police, setting fire to vehicles, and 19 deaths.
The country's president declared a state of emergency and ordered the military to eliminate these criminal gangs, which he described as "terrorist."
