In Ecuador, bandits are holding 178 employees hostage in prisons.

Nearly 160 security officers and 20 administrative employees remain hostage to prisoners as a result of large-scale riots in Ecuadorian prisons, the National Service for Comprehensive Assistance to Adult Prisoners and Juvenile Offenders SNAI reported on the social network X.

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“Due to disruptions and incidents in the penitentiary system, operations are currently ongoing and protocols are in place for the release of 158 prison security officers, as well as 20 administrative employees, who are being held in El Oro No. 1, Cotopaxi No. 1, Loja No. 1 prisons. , Azuay no. 1, Tungurahua no. 1, Cañar no. 2 and Esmeraldas no. 2,” the bulletin published on the SNAI blog says.

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Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa declared a 60-day state of emergency on January 8 to use the armed forces to regain control of the prison system. After this, riots began in a number of cities and in prisons – on the night of January 9, criminals began to burn cars and buses, homemade bombs were detonated in Guayaquil, and bandits temporarily seized the studio of a local TV channel. According to initial information, 139 prison employees and guards were taken hostage.