Source: AP Photo/Angel Dejesus
The world is linked through complex, invisible strings. Said connections transcend all kinds of borders, ranging from geographic ones to cultural and even political divides. Often, these links go unnoticed as they quietly weave together the world’s collective experience. However, most recently, examples of the world’s inextricable interconnectedness have become more evident, as demonstrated by the Ecuadorian prison riots.
Ecuador’s prison system has always experienced instability. Due to high levels of corruption, low levels of institutionally, and influence of drug cartels, the penitentiary system has been historically vulnerable to outbursts of violence and chaos. The perilous state of prisons in Ecuador started gaining prominence in the global media in 2019 after 204 inmates were poisoned at the Ibarra prison in the Imbabura province. The prisoners were reportedly contaminated with food coming from external vendors. Initially, the incident was dismissed as a case of food poisoning, but the minister of defense, Oswaldo Jarrín accepted that it was most likely a repercussion of the growing influence of drug cartels and gangs. That same year, the government declared a state of emergency in prisons all throughout the country as overcrowding reached 40% nationwide. Prisons in Ecuador are unfortunately afflicted with high levels of corruption, as security guards and personnel are underpaid and easily lured by monetary compensations proposed by influential gangs. For example, an item worth $500 in the market, can be sold for up to $4,000 inside the prisons, and when gangs and cartels identify discontent members of the prison system which could aid them in solidifying their power, they call upon those whose role it is to protect and prevent illicit activities to conduct their dirty work. This method is unfortunately effective, and even high prison officials are often involved in the trade and supply of illegal items throughout the prisons. The high levels of illegal activities in Ecuadorean prisons are a direct result of the influence of gangs like Los Choneros, Los Cubanos, and Los Lobos who are strongly connected to the Mexican Sinaloa Cartel, led by the infamous drug lord El Chapo Guzman.
Ecuador has borders with Colombia in the north and Peru in the south-- both of which are the main exporters of cocaine worldwide. Although Ecuador itself does not produce high amounts of cocaine, its geography has made it a point of interest for powerful drug cartels that use smuggling routes passing through the country to help contraband reach Colombia. The Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation Cartels have identified local gangs and created alliances in order to use Ecuador’s Pacific ports for their drug enterprise. Because of said alliances, the Los Choneros cartel was able to grow its membership to over 10,000. As Colombia began imposing stricter laws in order to control the production and trafficking of cocaine, cartels in Ecuador gained strength, and with support of Mexican cartels, they quickly began infiltrating the prison system and using them as headquarters for their operations.
Violence began reaching its peak in February 2021 when fights broke out simultaneously in three prisons, resulting in the death of 79 prisoners. Then, in July, similar violent outbreaks resulted in 22 deaths and the president subsequently declared a state of emergency in the penitentiary system. The rising violence was attributed to the murder of the Los Choneros leader Jorge Luis Zambrano, alias “Rasquiña”, in December 2020. The cartel consequently broke down into smaller groups, and with this fragmentation, chaos ensued. Unfortunately, the worst was yet to come, and the cartels showed the extent of their brutality on September 20th, 2021 when a fight broke out in the Litoral prison resulting in the death of more than 116 people. Prisoners were mutilated beyond recognition, and some were even decapitated. Others died of gun shot and stab wounds, and as the clash intensified, the prisoners’ family members gathered outside the jail, screaming and crying, fearful that their loved ones had perished. The revolt also resulted in an additional 80 injured inmates— it was the bloodiest prison fight in Ecuador’s history. Guillermo Lasso, the Ecuadorian president released a statement saying, “It is regrettable that the prisons are being turned into territories for power disputes by criminal gangs,” while Colonel Mario Pazmino, a former military intelligence director said, “transnational organized crime has permeated the [prison] structure,” emphasizing that violent outbreaks are a symptom of a much deeper problem: the drug industry as controlled by terrorizing gangs. Solving an issue so deeply intertwined in complex enterprises such as the drug trade is a difficult endeavor. However, the Ecuadorean government stated that it will accelerate a program being developed to build stronger infrastructure and technology to protect the nation’s prison system—a project which costs an impressive $24 million USD to enact.
The Ecuadorean prison system is built for 30,000 inmates, but the number of prisoners exceeds 39,000. As a result, the system is experiencing extreme pressure in terms of staff shortages and infrastructure, all cracks which facilitate the infiltration of chaos-inducing gangs. A lack of order and stability in the prisons coupled with the growing cartel presence in Ecuador coalesced to create the perfect storm of instability and fear. The drug industry continues to hold a great monopoly over the world, and while some argue that drugs should be legalized in order to facilitate their regulation, developing tangible and effective solutions is a precarious process; it needs to be a balanced equation that promotes wellbeing and sustainability—one that is yet to be deciphered.
*New Development: On November 14th, another prison fight in Guayaquil, Ecuador broke out resulting in 68 deaths. Over 300 prisoners have died throughout the Ecuadorian penitentiary system in 2021.
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