Deadly gang clashes in Ecuadorian prison kill at least 31 inmates

At least 31 inmates were killed on November 9 in two violent clashes between rival gangs at the Machala Detention Centre in southern Ecuador, officials said. Of those killed, 27 died from “asphyxiation".

The first attack occurred in the early morning when a breakaway gang, Sao-Box, targeted members of the criminal group Los Lobos, Caliber.Az reports via American media.

Interior Minister John Reimberg told Radio Centro Ecuador that four inmates were killed and approximately 36 others were wounded in the initial assault. 

Two prison officers also sustained minor injuries as authorities intervened to regain control of the facility.

Later that day, Los Lobos launched a reprisal attack against Sao-Box members. According to Reimberg, they asphyxiated 27 rivals inside several cells shared by both gangs.

“In retaliation, Lobos asphyxiated members of the other organisation to avoid leaving signs of violence on their bodies,” the minister said. Prison guards discovered the bodies around 6 p.m. during routine inspections.

Ecuador’s penitentiary system, SNAI, stated that the inmates had “committed asphyxiation among themselves, which resulted in immediate death by suspension.” Authorities did not clarify whether the asphyxiation involved hanging. SNAI added that operational teams and forensic personnel were working at the scene to verify information and manage reported emergencies.

The rival gangs were reportedly still housed in the same cells despite their split, Reimberg explained, noting that Sao-Box had originally been part of Los Lobos but broke away over management disputes. He did not specify why they continued to share living quarters.

The first attack coincided with the transfer of inmates to a new maximum-security facility. Reimberg suggested that gang members nationwide have been disrupting operations to prevent such transfers.

Sunday’s violence is part of a broader wave of deadly clashes in Ecuadorian prisons. In September, a confrontation between rival gangs in Esmeraldas left 17 dead, and three days earlier, 14 inmates were killed in Machala. Since 2021, official figures report that more than 500 inmates have died in Ecuador’s penitentiary system, despite the deployment of military and police forces to several facilities.

The government declared a state of internal armed conflict in January 2024 in an effort to curb widespread criminal violence. Los Lobos is one of two Ecuadorian criminal groups that the United States designated as foreign terrorist organisations in September 2025. This designation allows the US to impose sanctions and share intelligence with Ecuador to support potentially lethal operations, according to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

By Tamilla Hasanova