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Ecuador: two inmates die in Lacatunga's prison riot
Prisoners demanded better health conditions and accused the authorities of condemning them to death, since they allow people who are already infected to enter the wards.
Ecuador’s National Service for the Comprehensive Care of Adults Deprived of their Liberty and Adolescent Offenders (SNAI) Thursday reported two convicts died after an inmate riot in North Central Sierra Regional prison, located in Lacatunga, in Cotopaxi province.
“The two dead are Walter M., who was serving a sentence for the crime of rape, and Kelvin V., who was sentenced for the crime of murder,” SNAI informed in official communication.
The inmate riot came after four convicts died last week. As Ecuador’s Health Ministry (MSP) reported, two of them were COVID-19 positive, the other two had respiratory difficulties and other virus-related symptoms.
Prisoners demanded better health conditions and accused the authorities of condemning them to death, since they allow people who are already infected to enter the wards, according to a video broadcast on social networks.
“The reality of the prisoners in Latacunga prison. I am not a relative or friend of any of them but they are old people who are dying and nobody does anything, I don’t care if someone criticizes me, I will continue by all means trying to make their voice heard.”
According to MSP, nine inmates were confirmed positive after extended testing in North Central Sierra Regional Prison. The other four inmates remain isolated with COVID-19 symptoms and the other 17 virus suspicious inmate’s testing results are expected.
Also, an inmate died on June 6 in Turi prison, in Cuenca province, due to respiratory complications. The other eleven prisoners also tested positive for the virus.