Ecuadorian authorities made an announcement on Friday regarding the release of 50 guards and seven police officers who were held hostage for over a day. The government stated that this incident was a response from criminal groups to their efforts in regaining control over several large correctional facilities in the country. The National Service for Attention to Persons Deprived of Liberty, responsible for the country’s corrections system, confirmed that the 57 law enforcement officers held in different prisons are now safe, but didn’t provide specific details regarding their release.
Prior to the release of the hostages, criminal groups in Ecuador carried out various attacks throughout the week. One of these attacks involved the use of explosives to damage a bridge. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
Government officials believe that these violent acts are orchestrated by criminal gangs with members inside prisons who are responding to the authorities’ efforts in retaking control of penitentiaries through inmate relocation and weapon seizures, among other measures. Within a span of 48 hours, four car bombs and three explosive devices were set off across the country. The most recent explosion occurred on a bridge connecting two cities in the El Oro province without causing any casualties.
In the midst of these events, Consuelo Orellana, the governor of Azuay province, reported the release of 44 hostages from a prison in the city of Cuenca, and subsequently, the country’s correction system confirmed the freedom of all 57 hostages.
According to security analyst Daniel Pontón, these events, which occurred three weeks after the assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio, reflect a “systematic and clearly planned” attack that exposes the state’s ineffectiveness in preventing violence. Pontón suggests that these attacks are aimed at instilling fear among the population and influencing the upcoming presidential election in Ecuador.
The series of explosions commenced with a car bomb in Quito, Ecuador’s capital, near a former office of the country’s corrections system. Two additional car bombs were detonated in El Oro province. Another car explosion occurred the following day, this time outside the current offices of the corrections system, while an explosive device went off in Cuenca. Authorities have made arrests in connection with these incidents and continue to investigate.
Ecuadorian authorities attribute the rise in violence over the past three years to a power vacuum created by the killing of Jorge Zambrano, also known as “Rasquiña” or “JL,” the leader of the local Los Choneros gang. This power struggle involves Los Choneros and similar groups associated with Mexican and Colombian cartels, as they vie for control over drug-trafficking routes and territory, including within detention facilities. It is estimated that at least 400 inmates have died since 2021 as a result of the violence, which includes contract killings, extortion operations, drug trade, and control of prisons.
The late presidential candidate Villavicencio was known for his strong stance against organized crime and corruption. Despite having a security detail that included police and bodyguards, he was assassinated on August 9 after a political rally where he had accused Los Choneros and their incarcerated leader, Adolfo Macías, also known as “Fito,” of issuing threats against him and his campaign team. Six Colombian men have been detained in relation to Villavicencio’s murder.
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