Ecuador transfers 300 high-risk inmates, including ex-Vice President, to maximum-security prison
Ecuador has transferred 300 high-risk inmates — including former Vice President Jorge Glas — to a new maximum-security prison on the country’s coast, President Daniel Noboa announced on Monday.
The move comes just one day after a deadly riot in southern Ecuador left 31 prisoners dead, the latest in a series of violent clashes inside the nation’s overcrowded jails, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
The inmates were relocated to the newly opened Encuentro Prison in Santa Elena province, part of Noboa’s campaign to weaken powerful criminal gangs that have long operated inside Ecuador’s penitentiary system.
“The first 300 most dangerous inmates have already been transferred,” Noboa wrote on X (formerly Twitter), sharing images of prisoners in orange uniforms sitting on the floor under heavy military guard.
“Crime wanted to challenge Ecuador — today Ecuador responded with action.”
Among those moved is Jorge Glas, who has faced multiple corruption convictions. In June, he was sentenced to an additional 13 years for misusing public funds meant for post-earthquake reconstruction.
Glas’s lawyer criticized the government for posting photos of the former vice president in custody, calling it a violation of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights’ rulings.
Interior Minister John Reimberg said Sunday’s violence broke out when inmates learned of the transfer.
“The party’s over for them,” he said. “The orders from prisons to generate chaos are over.”
Authorities say most of the 31 victims in Sunday’s riot at the Machala prison were suffocated by rival gang members during clashes between the Los Lobos and Sao Box groups.
Ecuador’s prison system, which operates at 30% over capacity, has seen frequent gang-related bloodshed in recent years. During regular security sweeps, officials have confiscated weapons, cell phones, and even animals from inmates.
Similar news
