• A prison riot in Ecuador resulted in 14 dead and 14 wounded.
• The clash was sparked by gang violence, notably between Los Choneros and Los Lobos.
• Some prisoners escaped during the chaos, though many have been recaptured.
• The situation reflects a growing crisis of lawlessness within Ecuador's overcrowded prisons.
• President Noboa's government attributes this violence to territorial disputes among gangs.

The recent prison riot in Machala, Ecuador, resulted in **14 fatalities** and **14 injuries**, according to local police chief William Calle. The violent outbreak involved prisoners using firearms and explosives, leading to the death of a guard and ensuing chaos as authorities attempted to regain control. Calle noted, "From the inside they were shooting, throwing bombs, grenades," emphasizing the level of violence in the facility which houses double the number of inmates it was designed for, according to Reuters and CBS News.

The confrontation arose from ongoing gang rivalries, specifically between the notorious Los Choneros and Los Lobos gangs, which have deep ties to the international drug trade. Following the clash, it was reported that **13 inmates** who had escaped have been recaptured, illustrating the immediate aftermath of the violence, as stated by South China Morning Post and Al Jazeera.

Ecuador has seen a rise in prison violence attributed to organized crime as gang fighting has spiraled out of control. More than **500 inmates** have died in conflicts since February 2021, often in gruesome ways, raising alarms about the **security situation** in Ecuadorian prisons, as detailed by Reuters, CBS News, and Al Jazeera.

The Ecuadorian government, led by President Daniel Noboa, has declared a "state of internal armed conflict" in response to the incessant gang violence, particularly noting the challenges posed by **drug trafficking** organizations operating within and outside prison bounds. Recent designations of gangs like Los Choneros as **foreign terrorist organizations** highlight the severity of the situation, according to South China Morning Post and Al Jazeera.