At least 31 inmates were killed on Sunday in southern Ecuador following violent clashes between rival gangs inside a prison in Machala. Officials confirmed that 27 of the victims died from asphyxiation, while others suffered injuries during the attacks.
Interior Minister John Reimberg said the violence began early Sunday when the breakaway gang Sao-Box attacked members of the criminal group Los Lobos at the Machala Detention Center. Four inmates were killed in the initial clash, and approximately 36 were wounded. Two prison officers sustained minor injuries while regaining control of the facility.
Later that day, Los Lobos retaliated against Sao-Box members, killing 27 inmates through asphyxiation inside shared cells. Reimberg explained that the attackers sought to carry out the reprisals without leaving visible marks on their victims.
Prison guards discovered the bodies during routine inspections around 6 p.m.
The National Penitentiary Service of Ecuador (SNAI) stated that the deaths resulted from “asphyxiation among themselves, which led to immediate death by suspension.” Authorities have not clarified if the inmates were hanged.
The ongoing violence is partly linked to the recent transfer of inmates to a new maximum-security facility. Officials suggested that inmates nationwide have been resisting transfers, fueling unrest.
Reimberg noted that rival gang members shared cells because they were originally part of the same group, with Sao-Box having split from Los Lobos over management disputes. Authorities have not explained why the two groups remained together after the split.
This deadly clash follows a series of prison riots in Ecuador. In September 2025, 17 inmates were killed in Esmeraldas, and three days earlier, 14 inmates died in Machala. Since 2021, more than 500 inmates have died in Ecuadorian prisons, despite the deployment of military and police forces to contain criminal violence.
Los Lobos, along with one other Ecuadorian criminal group, was designated a foreign terrorist organization by the United States in September 2025. This designation allows the US to impose sanctions and share intelligence with Ecuador for potentially lethal operations, according to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The recent incidents underscore Ecuador’s ongoing challenges in controlling gang violence in prisons, even amid state-declared internal armed conflict aimed at curbing criminal activity.
