The state agency for the care of deprived-of-liberty persons (SNAI) of Ecuador confirmed on Sunday the death of 27 prisoners by asphyxiation inside the prison in the city of Machala, in the coastal province of El Oro, in the south of the country. The event occurred on Sunday afternoon at the Machala Deprivation of Liberty Center, one of the most violent cities in the South American country, amid riots, reported SNAI in a press release. It was specified that, to date, the death of 27 prisoners has been reported, who lost their lives due to asphyxiation, which caused an 'immediate death by suspension.' This event occurred a few hours after riots were registered in the prison center during the early hours of Sunday, which left four inmates dead and 34 injured, including a police officer, according to official reports. In this way, a total of 31 inmates are counted as deceased during the day of violence registered in said penitentiary. SNAI stated in a press release that the early morning riots occurred because some prisoners will be relocated to a new maximum-security prison that the Government is building in the province of Santa Elena, which is about to be inaugurated.
