Machala, Ecuador – December 8, 2025: At least 13 inmates were found dead Sunday at the Machala prison in southern Ecuador, officials confirmed. The discovery follows an explosive device detonated outside the prison, though authorities have not confirmed a direct link between the blast and the inmates’ deaths.

The National Service for Comprehensive Attention to Persons Deprived of Liberty (SNAI) said autopsies are underway to determine the cause of death. Police carried out immediate interventions and security checks at the prison following the incident.

Persistent Violence in Ecuadorian Prisons

This incident is the latest in a series of violent episodes at Machala prison.

• November 2025: Two gang clashes killed 31 inmates, including 27 who died by asphyxiation during a reprisal attack.
• September 2025: At least 14 inmates and one prison guard were killed during another violent incident.

Interior Minister John Reimberg previously reported that rival criminal groups, including Los Lobos and a breakaway gang called Sao-Box, are responsible for much of the unrest. Authorities noted that prison conditions are no longer adequate to contain the level of criminal activity.

National Concern

Since 2020, more than 600 inmates have died across Ecuador’s prisons, according to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). The IACHR recently urged Ecuador to adopt immediate measures to protect inmates’ lives and ensure their safety.

Despite the deployment of military and police forces, prison violence continues to surge, part of a broader internal armed conflict that President Daniel Noboa’s government declared in January 2024 to address organized crime nationwide.

The government faces ongoing pressure to implement reforms and secure Ecuador’s penitentiary system.