Ecuador Announces Release of All Guards and Administrators from Prisoners' Hands

The National Prison Agency in Ecuador announced yesterday, Saturday, that all prison guards and staff who were taken hostage by inmates in seven prisons across the country have been released. The prisoners had held 158 guards and 20 administrative staff as hostages since Monday amid a sharp increase in violence in the South American nation. President Daniel Noboa congratulated the police and armed forces for successfully freeing the guards and staff in a post on the social media platform X. The prison agency stated that an investigation will be conducted to identify those responsible for the hostage-taking incident.