At least 15 people were killed and 14 injured in a prison brawl

At least 15 people have been killed and 14 others injured in a prison fight in Ecuador, authorities in the South American country said this week.

Guayaquil's Litoral prison, where the fight took place, has been the scene of repeated riots and mass violence, including an incident in 2021 that left 119 inmates dead.

The prison fight

Officials released limited information about the cause of the recent outbreak of violence. In a statement, prison authorities confirmed that police and military forces had been deployed to regain control of the facility.

Local media reported helicopters circling above the prison while concerned relatives gathered outside the gates, seeking information about their loved ones in prison.

In a statement posted on

“In light of these events, the security bloc acted immediately, taking full control of the facilities and launching a large-scale search operation and appropriate investigations to resolve the incident,” a translated version of the statement said. “A significant contingent of military and police personnel has been deployed to ensure security and prevent further incidents.”

The statement also noted that the prison is currently under the control of authorities.

Ecuador prisons

Ecuador's prisons are among the deadliest in Latin America, where overcrowding, corruption and limited government control have fueled the growth of violent gangs. Many of these groups are involved in Ecuador's booming drug trade and are armed with weapons smuggled in from outside.

In 2021, a prison fight at Litoral Penitentiary claimed 119 lives and left dozens more injured. The Associated Press (AP) reported that the prison riot broke out after a dispute inside the prison between the Los Lobos and Los Choneros gangs.

The AP said Guayaquil's Litoral prison was originally built to house 5,000 inmates, but at the time it housed more than 8,500 inmates, including key leaders of Ecuador's largest drug trafficking gangs. These groups are fighting for control of both international drug routes – with Ecuador serving as a transit hub on the border with Colombia and Peru – and the domestic drug market.

Similar incidents in the United States

In July 2024, an “altercation” at a maximum security prison in Nevada left three inmates dead and nine others injured.

The deadly melee broke out at Ely State Prison, the state's only maximum-security prison. The names of the victims were not released.

There have been 21 prison deaths in Nevada this year Las Vegas Sun.

This article contains reporting from The Associated Press.