Ecuador: 20 dead from revolt in Cuenca prison

(ANSA) - QUITO, APRIL 04 - The Minister of the Interior of Ecuador, Patricio Carillo, announced that the new provisional balance of the revolt that took place yesterday in the prison of Turi in the province of Cuenca is 20 dead and ten wounded.

He reports them to the Primicias news portal.

    In a press conference Carrillo denied that the accidents were caused by the overcrowding of the prison, instead advancing the hypothesis of the existence of a group dedicated to drug trafficking, identified as Los Lobos, which is trying to take control of the entire detention center at the expense of smaller groups.

    Little by little, he said, the security forces - 800 men including police officers and soldiers - are taking control of the prison, so it is possible that in the maximum security area the officers are entering, there may be other fatal victims of the clashes. .

    In this regard, Carrillo revealed that thanks to the use of drones, it was possible to confirm that some inmates had large caliber weapons of war.

    According to the National Prison Service (Snai), at least 331 inmates died in various accidents in Ecuador in 2021.

(HANDLE).