'Out of Control' Ecuador: Gang Leader's Birthday Fireworks in Prison

Prison Inmate Riot Involves Not Only Guns but Also Grenades
Inter-American Commission on Human Rights: "Correctional Paradigm in Ecuador Must Change"

The Ecuadorian government declared a state of emergency last August in Guayaquil following armed clashes between violent gangs using bombs. Photo by AP Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Bang Je-il] A fireworks display was held to celebrate the birthday of a crime gang leader imprisoned in a prison in Ecuador, South America.

According to Latin American media Infobae on the 22nd (local time), a fireworks show accompanied by folk music took place at a prison in the Guayas region, 420 km away from Quito, the capital of Ecuador, the day before.

This scene spread after a resident living near the prison recorded the fireworks and posted the video on social networking services (SNS).

Infobae reported that the fireworks show was apparently held ahead of the birthday of the leader of the 'Los Choneros' gang, one of the inmates. Los Choneros is serving a sentence for murder, and this weekend marks his 38th birthday.

The Ecuadorian correctional authorities issued a statement saying, "We will take immediate action against such acts that violate regulations."

Celebration parties inside prisons are not the first occurrence in regional prisons in Ecuador. The level of control within Ecuadorian prisons is in a serious crisis.

Since February last year until recently, over 400 prisoners have lost their lives in violent clashes in major Ecuadorian prisons, and in May, more than 40 people died in a riot at Santo Domingo Bellavista prison.

The main cause of riots inside prisons is conflicts among gang members. The intensity is increasing daily, with the use of firearms and even grenades.

In March, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights released a report stating that the Ecuadorian correctional administration paradigm must change, emphasizing "regaining control while developing policies focused on crime prevention rather than solely on imprisonment."

Ecuador is currently in a 'war on crime' situation. In August, the Ecuadorian government declared a state of emergency after violent clashes between criminal organizations using bombs continued in Guayaquil.

Patricio Carrillo, Ecuador's Minister of the Interior, declared the state of emergency at the time, saying, "This is a declaration of war against the nation and an act of terrorism."

Located between Colombia and Peru, the world's largest cocaine producers, Ecuador is a hub for drug trafficking.

Ecuadorian criminal organizations have been engaged in armed conflicts over control of cocaine smuggling routes to Europe and the United States. Recently, the intensity of physical clashes has increased, leading to more murders and bomb attacks.