Warden of Ecuador's largest prison shot to death

María Daniela Icaza, director of the Penitenciaría del Litoral, Ecuador's largest prison, was assassinated in an armed attack, marking a new chapter in the serious security crisis rocking the country's prison system.

According to the Servicio Nacional de Atención Integral a Personas Privadas de Libertad (SNAI), the attack occurred last Thursday around 18:00 local time (23:00 GMT) on the road connecting the town of Daule with the city of Guayaquil, when Icaza was on her way to a hospital, and also left a prison officer who was accompanying her wounded.

The director of the penitentiary, was intercepted by armed men who shot at the vehicle in which she was traveling. Although she was taken alive to the hospital, the SNAI confirmed her death shortly afterwards. The news has caused great shock in Ecuador, a country facing a serious security crisis and violence linked to organized crime.

Condolences

The Interior Ministry expressed its sorrow over Icaza's death through a statement on social network X, extending its condolences to the director's family. SNAI also deeply mourned the loss, noting the impact of her passing on the country's prison system. This murder is the second of a prison director in less than two weeks, following the murder of Álex Guevara, director of the Lago Agrio prison, on September 3.

Context of Ecuador's prison crisis

The Penitenciaría del Litoral, officially known as Centro de Privación de Libertad Masculino Guayas Número 1, is the largest prison in Ecuador, with more than 6,000 inmates. Since 2021, it has been the scene of intense clashes between criminal gangs, leading to an alarming increase in violence and massacres. In response to this crisis, President Daniel Noboa ordered the militarization of prisons in January 2024, in an attempt to regain control and curb the escalating violence associated with organized crime.

The situation in Ecuador's prisons has worsened considerably since September 2023, when a drone bomb detonated over La Roca, the country's maximum security facility, causing severe damage. This attack marked the beginning of a series of violent incidents that included the murder of prison guards and gang leaders, such as Freddy Anchundía in November. The first months of 2024 were marked by notable escapes, deadly riots and disturbances, reflecting a crisis that is also manifested in a rising national homicide rate. Icaza's recent death, the second of a prison director in less than two weeks, underscores the severity of Ecuador's prison crisis, highlighting the ability of criminal gangs to challenge authority and further complicate efforts to restore order and security in the penitentiary system.