Inmates free 57 Ecuador prison guards after stand-off

Inmates successful six Ecuadorian prisons person released 50 guards and 7 constabulary officers they had taken hostage, the situation work (SNAI) has said.

The 57 freed hostages are "undergoing aesculapian evaluation" but look to beryllium successful bully health, according to SNAI.

Officials accidental the kidnappings were coordinated by transgression gangs aggravated astatine attempts to curb their power.

Two car bombs which went disconnected adjacent constabulary buildings successful the capital, Quito, person besides been blamed connected the gangs.

The authorities judge astatine slightest 1 of the incidents could beryllium retaliation for a constabulary hunt for weapons astatine 1 of the country's biggest jails.

Hundreds of constabulary officers and soldiers carried retired the hunt astatine Cotopaxi jailhouse successful Latacunga, astir 55 miles (88km) southbound of Quito, arsenic portion of efforts to forestall further unit astatine the situation connected Wednesday.

Normal activities person present been resumed successful the six facilities, including a young offenders portion which was severely damaged by an arson attack. Officials person not offered immoderate details arsenic to however oregon wherefore the officers were released.

"The measures we person taken, particularly successful the situation system, person generated convulsive reactions from transgression organisations that question to intimidate the state," President Guillermo Lasso said connected X, formerly Twitter, connected Friday night.

Ecuador is facing increasing unit linked to drug-trafficking gangs, which has enactment a immense strain connected the under-resourced and overcrowded situation system.

Hundreds of inmates person been killed successful deadly fights successful Ecuador's overcrowded jails successful caller years.

Such is the power of narco-politics successful Ecuador, its prisons are places of powerfulness - it's wherever those progressive successful drugs offences get locked away.

But they're besides the power centres of galore of the cartels and gangs present - truthful erstwhile inmates don't similar what the authorities are doing, they marque that known done unit and riots.

The state is little than 2 months distant from the run-off circular of statesmanlike elections - a run that has been marred by unit and the assassination of a candidate.

Presidential front-runner Luisa Gonzalez said connected Friday that she volition deterioration a bulletproof vest portion campaigning and volition besides judge the government's connection of subject protection.

Meanwhile, transgression gangs connected Friday detonated explosive devices connected a span successful the coastal state of El Oro.