Ecuador reports more “attacks” in Guayaquil jail after killing 68 inmates

Government Ecuadorian alerted this Saturday of new attacks between prisoners of two pavilions in the main jail of the city of Guayaquil, after the massacre registered this morning in that prison that left 68 dead inmates.

“At this moment new incidents are occurring inside the Litoral penitentiary, attacks are taking place from one pavilion to another”, informed the Ecuadorian Government spokesman, Carlos Jijón, in a press conference in Guayaquil (southwest).

The spokesperson explained that “Attacks are taking place between pavilion 12 and pavilion 7” and he added that the police “have entered the place at this time to protect the lives of the inmates.”

These clashes take place hours after the death of 68 prisoners in a riot inside the Litoral prison, where the worst prison massacre in the country was recorded last September.

Jijón pointed out that the Police and the Armed Forces are mobilizing to the area, while the Head of State, Guillermo Lasso, is holding a meeting with the high command of these two institutions.

In a crisis cabinet to analyze the situation, the president today invited “Sectors of civil society to start organizing a dialogue inside the prison and to be able to stop the barbarism that is occurring”said the government spokesman.

Based on data from the Prosecutor’s Office, Jijón reiterated that in the clashes during the early hours of this Saturday, 68 inmates were reported dead and 25 injured, but added that “The figures may vary.”

The country’s prison system has been under a state of exception since September 29 after the worst prison massacre recorded in the country, which took place precisely in this prison in Guayaquil and ended with 118 dead inmates.

The authorities presume that the confrontations are taking place between gangs related to drug trafficking that dispute over territories.