13 Inmates Found Dead at Machala Prison as Violence Escalates — 44 Killed This Month

Thirteen inmates were discovered dead on Sunday at a prison in Machala, a coastal city in southwest Ecuador, authorities said Monday. The deaths bring the total at the facility to 44 in the past month and are now the subject of an official investigation.

Incident Details

The state prison authority, SNAI, said police found the bodies after "the detonation of an explosive device" outside the prison grounds. Local media reported that victims appeared to have died from asphyxiation. Reports indicate the blast occurred roughly 100 meters (328 feet) from the complex and was allegedly caused by a drone deployed to distract guards.

Investigations Under Way

SNAI said autopsies and "routine procedures" are being conducted to confirm causes of death. Authorities are investigating both the detonation and how a drone was used in the attack, as well as any links to organized criminal groups operating inside the prison.

Wider Context

This facility has experienced repeated deadly clashes in recent weeks: 31 inmates were killed in a riot at the same prison last month, many reportedly by asphyxiation, and 14 people — including one prison guard — died in another confrontation at the end of September.

Mass killings and extreme violence have become increasingly common across Ecuador’s prison system, which the government says is used by rival drug‑trafficking gangs as operational bases. Graphic images of mutilated or burned corpses from prison incidents periodically circulate on social media.

National Response

According to the Inter‑American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), at least 663 prisoners have died in prison violence in Ecuador since 2020. President Daniel Noboa has advocated a hardline approach to organized crime similar to that of El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele and in 2024 declared Ecuador to be in a state of internal armed conflict as authorities step up efforts to confront cartels.

Note: Investigations and autopsy results are pending. Officials have not released the names of victims pending family notification.