The screams began before dawn, piercing the stillness of the night and sending shivers through the surrounding neighborhoods. By the time daylight broke over Machala, dozens were dead, leaving a nation once again forced to confront the horrifying reality lurking behind prison walls. Gunfire echoed through the corridors, explosions shook the buildings, and the sight of hanging bodies transformed the jail into a scene of unspeakable carnage. Families rushed to the gates in frantic hope, only to be turned away or directed to the morgue, their worst fears materialized in the cold light of day. Ecuador’s prisons are not merely collapsing—they have already become arenas of unchecked violence, where lawlessness reigns and human life hangs by a thread. Continue reading…
