Military deployment in Ecuador prison to transfer a criminal gang leader

A broad military deployment took place this Sunday at the Regional Prison in the coastal city of Guayaquil, in the southwest of Ecuadorto comply with the prison transfer of a prisoner considered the leader of one of the most dangerous criminal gangs in the country.

The military operation, which has deployed some 2,000 troops, was confirmed by the country’s own president, the conservative William Lassowho commented that the measure seeks to combat violence and restore peace in the country.

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The president explained that the operation is due to the application of a decree to declare a state of emergency in the penitentiary system, which has been the scene of multiple killings between gangs of prisoners for control of the detention centers.

Lasso specified that the prisoner known by the alias “Fito” and who is identified by the authorities as the leader of the gang “The Choneros”has been transferred from the regional prison of the province of Guayas, to the maximum security prison called La Roca.

Both prisons are located within the Guayas prison complex, the largest in the country, and made up of five prisons, three of which had already been intervened by the Police and the Armed Forces within the framework of the state of emergency declared to end of July in the national penitentiary system.

As a result of these interventions carried out as a result of the last prison massacre that occurred in the Litoral Penitentiary, the largest and most populated prison in Ecuadorthe police and military found a large arsenal of weapons in the hands of the prisoners, including rifles and grenades, items that were also found in the administrative offices of one of the prisons.

“This morning, pursuant to Decree 823, the transfer of alias ‘Fito’ to La Roca prison for the safety of citizens and detainees has been carried out. He Ecuador will restore peace and security”Lasso wrote on his X network account.

In addition, he anticipated that “If violent reactions are generated, we will act with all the force of the State” and reported that early this morning “a contingent of police and military conduct a search of weapons, ammunition and explosives,” all with the aim of disarming the prisons.

The law enforcement operation occurred at a time when the country is mourning the assassination of the presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencioriddled with gunfire on Wednesday in Quito when he was leaving a political rally held at a school in the north of the city.

Since 2020, the prison system of Ecuador It has been subjected to numerous killings between gangs of prisoners who are allegedly fighting for internal control of the prisons, which has left more than 400 prisoners murdered, in a spiral of violence that has spread to the streets.

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Source: Elcomercio

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I am Jack Morton and I work in 24 News Recorder. I mostly cover world news and I have also authored 24 news recorder. I find this work highly interesting and it allows me to keep up with current events happening around the world.