Prison riot in Esmeraldas kills at least 10 inmates
Bloody clashes between rival drug gangs in an overcrowded Ecuadorian prison in Esmeraldas left at least 10 prisoners dead, with authorities finding bodies in two cell blocks and social‑media images (verified by AFP) showing gruesome violence. The violence involves the Los Choneros and Los Lobos gangs—both designated this month by the U.S. as Foreign Terrorist Organizations—and underscores wider instability as Ecuador serves as a major transit hub for cocaine bound for international markets.
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📰 Sources (1)
10 killed in Ecuador prison riot days after deadly jailbreak
New information:
- Police found 10 dead inmates in two cell blocks at a prison in Esmeraldas (reported Sept. 25, 2025).
- Authorities say the victims belonged to rival gangs Los Choneros and Los Lobos; both groups were designated by the U.S. earlier this month as Foreign Terrorist Organizations.
- The article notes extreme brutality (images verified by AFP show at least two decapitations) and places the riot in the context of about 500 inmates massacred in Ecuador since 2021; Ecuador is a key cocaine transit country, with government data cited that over 70% of global cocaine passes through its ports.