Ecuadorian President calls ‘crisis cabinet’ after prison violence leaves dozens dead

The move comes after the Ecuadorian prosecutor’s office asked the government to take “urgent measures” to address the situation, according to a post on the agency’s official Twitter account.

Ecuadorian police began activating security protocols Friday night after reports of gunshots and possible confrontations between inmates at the prison, according to Guayas Governor Pablo Arosemena in an announcement posted to the official Facebook page of the Guayas Province government.

The deadly clashes appear to be an instance of gang violence, according to the governor, who said inmates “not only used weapons and detonations, but they tried to suffocate [other prisoners], burned mattresses, and more.”