Ecuadorian authorities reported Wednesday that at least five inmates have escaped from El Litoral prison, located in the city of Guayaquil, which has already been the scene of several altercations that have left dozens dead in recent years.
As reported by the National Service of Attention to Persons Deprived of Liberty and Adolescent Offenders (SNAI), the escape occurred during the night of Wednesday, after which the security forces were informed and coordinated, and have begun the search for the prisoners.
In this sense, the SNAI has announced that it has opened an internal investigation to determine the responsibilities of the escape, of which the circumstances are unknown, as detailed by the agency in a statement.
Since the beginning of November, Ecuador has been the scene of a series of violent acts, mainly in the provinces of Guayas – where Guayaquil is located – and Esmeraldas, which have resulted in the death of at least five police officers and the arrest of more than fifty suspects.
Following the violence, the country’s president, Guillermo Lasso, announced the suspension of a visit to the United States and declared a state of emergency in both provinces, also implementing a curfew which will be in force until mid-December.
