Ecuador army takes control of prisons to curb gang violence and riots

For years, rival gangs have fought for control of Ecuador's prisons, sparking massacres and riots. Two years ago, the army took over around a third of the facilities in an attempt to curb the violence. Soldiers now conduct regular searches for weapons, drugs and mobile phones used by inmates to run extortion rackets from inside. But human rights groups say military control has restricted food and medicine, contributing to malnutrition, illness and a deadly tuberculosis outbreak. Despite an initial drop in violence, homicides in 2025 reached a record high, and prison unrest has persisted. Al Jazeera's John Holman reports from Guayaquil, Ecuador. Subscribe to our channel: http://bit.ly/AJSubscribe Follow us on X: https://X.com/AJEnglish Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera Check our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/ Check out our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/ Download AJE Mobile App: https://aje.news/AJEMobile #EcuadorPrisons #PrisonViolence #Ecuador #Guayaquil #GangViolence #HumanRights #LatinAmerica #PrisonReform #MilitaryControl #Crime #Corruption #PublicSafety #AlJazeeraEnglish