Six Dead in Guayas Prison, Implicated in Villavicencio Murder

This comes after the country's president, Guillermo Lasso, extended on September 21 the state of emergency in the country's prisons for another 30 days. Oct. 6, 2023.

Published 6 October 2023

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The deaths occurred, on the eve of the closing of the prosecutor's investigation in the Villavicencio case.

The National Service for Persons Deprived of Liberty (SNAI) confirmed this Friday the death of six people in new riots registered in the Center of Deprivation of Liberty (CPL) Guayas No. 1, also known as Litoral Penitentiary, located in the city of Guayaquil.

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They are six of the thirteen linked to the assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio.

SNAI confirmed that those killed were Colombian citizens identified as Jhon Gregory R., Andres Manuel M., Adey Fernando G., Camilo Andres R., Sules Osmin C. and Jose Neyder L.

Previously, the prison authority reported the presence of the Prosecutor's Office and Criminalistics "inside the Center to carry out the removal of the bodies and their identification." The operations were carried out with the support of the Armed Forces and the National Police, SNAI said.

According to the Prosecutor's Office, specialized military personnel carried out the first incursions and reconnaissance of Pavilion 7, where the incidents originated, in order to take control of the situation.

URGENTE: el gobierno confirma que los 6 PPL encontrados muertos en la Penitenciaria del Litoral eran los detenidos por el crimen del candidato presidencial Fernando Villavicencio. Sin embargo, no explica las circunstancias de los decesos. pic.twitter.com/UTlNmUxGeG
— Fabricio Vela (@fabriciovelav) October 7, 2023

The tweet reads, "The government confirms that the 6 prisoners found dead in the Litoral Penitentiary were the detainees for the crime of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio. However, it does not explain the circumstances of the deaths."

"Police and military elements provide protection at the site," said the penitentiary authority. A strong contingent of police and military arrived at the site in the afternoon, with riot gear, tanks, bulletproof vests and elite teams of the Intervention and Rescue Group (GIR).

This comes after the country's president, Guillermo Lasso, extended on September 21 the state of emergency in the country's prisons for another 30 days.

The measure was originally declared in July for 60 days, due to the delicate situation related to the increase in criminal activity linked to drug trafficking, robberies, murders, extortion, kidnappings, attacks, riots and clashes between gangs.

Under the state of emergency, the Government allows the Armed Forces to support the National Police to carry out interventions in the penitentiary system, in order to disarm gangs operating internally.

With the measure in force, both the Armed Forces and the National Police have carried out searches and interventions, seizing thousands of ammunition and firearms in different prisons.