Ecuador begins construction of new high-security prison in its fight against gangs

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“ Today we mark one of the most important milestones in our fight against terrorism and mafias “. This is the speech hammered out on Saturday by President Daniel Noboa, during the launch of the construction of a new high security prison in the coastal town of Santa Elena, in the southwest of the country. The building will be added to the 36 prisons already existing in the country, will occupy 16.2 hectares and must accommodate 800 inmates. All built in 300 days, “ record time » according to the authorities. A record cost of $52 million according to the authorities.

When he came to power last year, Daniel Noboa had promised to build two new prisons “ high security » to isolate « very dangerous criminals, mafia leaders, who will be monitored in real time “. In January, the president declared the country in a state of “ internal armed conflict », due to the violence linked to drug trafficking.

Because for several years now, Ecuador has become the main export point for cocaine produced in Peru and Colombia, subsequently being contaminated by the violence linked to this trafficking, in the streets and in prison. Since 2021, at least 460 inmates have been killed in gang clashes. The country also closed the year 2023 with a record rate of 47 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, compared to six in 2018.

Daniel Noboa also stressed that the model for his new high security prison would be the megaprison built by his counterpart Nayib Bukele in El Salvador, which hit the headlines in the fight against drug trafficking. This Salvadoran prison is the largest on the continent, again for fight against gang violence.

The current Ecuadorian prison system has a capacity to accommodate 30,200 inmates, for 31,300 inmates, according to a census carried out in 2022.

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