The air around Machala Detention Center in southwest Ecuador was thick with tension on November 9, 2025—a day that would mark one of the bloodiest episodes in the country’s ongoing prison crisis. According to Latin Times and multiple news agencies, two violent clashes erupted inside the facility, leaving at least 31 inmates dead and over 30 others injured, including a police officer. The grim tally was the result of a brutal cycle of gang retaliation, with the carnage underscoring the deepening chaos inside Ecuador’s penitentiaries.
The violence began in the early hours of that fateful day. The Ecuadorian prison agency SNAI reported that the first confrontation was ignited by the transfer of inmates to a new maximum-security prison—an attempt by authorities to break the stranglehold of organized crime within the penal system. Instead, the move sparked a deadly backlash. During this initial clash, at least four inmates lost their lives and 36 were wounded as rival factions squared off, their hostilities echoing through the cellblocks with gunfire and explosions. The Associated Press described the scene as one of utter mayhem, with guards struggling to regain control as chaos reigned.
But the bloodshed was far from over. Later that same day, violence flared again—this time with even deadlier consequences. Interior Minister John Reimberg explained that the notorious Los Lobos gang, targeted earlier by a breakaway faction called Sao-Box, launched a calculated revenge attack. As Reimberg recounted, "In retaliation, Lobos asphyxiated members of the other organization to avoid leaving signs of violence on their bodies." According to SNAI, 27 Sao-Box members were killed by asphyxiation—what the agency called "immediate death by hanging"—inside several shared cells. The victims’ bodies were only discovered around 6 p.m., when guards conducted routine inspections and stumbled upon the grim aftermath.
This latest massacre is just the most recent in a string of violent uprisings that have plagued Ecuador’s prison system over the past several years. Inmates across the country have been staging violent protests, determined to resist their transfer to the new facility. The Machala riot is part of a broader pattern: since 2021, more than 500 people have lost their lives in prison riots across Ecuador, according to the Associated Press. The violence has become so routine that it barely raises eyebrows—except, perhaps, for the sheer scale and brutality of each new incident.
What’s fueling this relentless bloodshed? Authorities and analysts point to the deadly rivalry between two powerful criminal organizations: Los Choneros and Los Lobos. Los Choneros, described by InSight Crime as one of Ecuador’s most dominant gangs, have long vied for control of the country’s prisons, drug routes, and territory used for drug distribution. Los Lobos, a splinter group born from Los Choneros’ own ranks, have grown into a formidable force in their own right, boasting thousands of members operating both inside and outside prison walls. The Machala massacre, as Latin Times reports, was the direct result of this ongoing war for supremacy—a war that shows no signs of abating.
Prisons in Ecuador have become fertile ground for such violence, plagued by overcrowding, corruption, and the ready availability of smuggled weapons. The Associated Press notes that inmates are often heavily armed, making it all too easy for disputes to escalate into full-blown firefights or, as in the recent case, mass executions by asphyxiation. Guards, often outnumbered and under-resourced, struggle to maintain order—sometimes at the cost of their own safety. In one particularly harrowing episode last year, 150 prison guards were taken hostage during simultaneous riots at several facilities, a stark illustration of just how little control authorities actually wield.
The violence is not confined to Machala. In September 2025, 17 inmates were killed in a prison in the coastal city of Esmeraldas. Just days later, another 14 were found dead in Machala, underscoring the nationwide scope of the crisis. The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants’ 2025 Country Conditions Report paints a grim picture: Ecuador’s homicide rate has skyrocketed from 6.7 per 100,000 people in 2020 to a staggering 44.5 in 2025—the highest in South America. Once considered one of the region’s safest nations, Ecuador has been transformed by the twin scourges of drug trafficking and organized crime.
For many Ecuadorians, the violence inside prisons is just one facet of a broader social unraveling. The country’s criminal gangs have extended their reach far beyond prison walls, infiltrating neighborhoods, businesses, and political institutions. The battle for control of the lucrative drug trade has spilled onto the streets, fueling a surge in homicides and spreading fear among ordinary citizens. Authorities have repeatedly promised reforms, but progress has been slow and halting, hampered by entrenched corruption and the sheer scale of the problem.
The Machala tragedy has prompted renewed calls for action. Human rights groups and families of inmates are demanding greater transparency, better conditions, and a comprehensive strategy to address the root causes of prison violence. The government, for its part, has vowed to press ahead with its plan to transfer high-risk inmates to the new maximum-security facility, despite the risks. As one official put it, “We cannot allow criminal organizations to dictate the rules inside our prisons.” Yet, as recent events have shown, breaking the cycle of violence is easier said than done.
Amid the carnage, personal stories of loss and survival emerge. For the families of those killed, the pain is compounded by uncertainty and a lack of information. Many find out about their loved ones’ fate only through news reports or frantic phone calls. The scale of the tragedy is overwhelming, but for those directly affected, the loss is deeply personal and immediate—a stark reminder that behind every statistic lies a human life.
As Ecuador grapples with its prison crisis, the world is watching. The Machala massacre stands as a grim testament to the country’s ongoing struggle with organized crime, corruption, and the limits of state power. Whether the government’s latest reforms will bring lasting change remains to be seen. For now, the cycle of violence continues, with little sign that Ecuador’s prisons—or its streets—will find peace anytime soon.
