Officials Confirm Release of All 136 Hostages Taken During Prison Riots in Ecuador

All 136 captives taken during prison riots in Ecuador have been released, officials reported.

The release, which included 46 guards and one civilian from Cotopaxi prison, 13 from Tungurahua, and 15 from El Oro—where a civilian's body was discovered—concluded after a total of nearly 180 staff had been held by inmates following a government crackdown on crime.

The liberation on Saturday night was facilitated by coordinated efforts between the police and the army, according to the SNAI prison authority. Emotional scenes followed as freed staff reunited with their peers.

President Daniel Noboa praised the operation on social media. The country witnessed widespread disorder after the escape of "Fito," a notorious gang leader, from Guayaquil prison, which led to violent clashes across multiple facilities and the deaths of at least 19 individuals.

In response to the crisis, authorities killed eight alleged "terrorists" and recaptured 27 fugitives. Moreover, the SNAI is set to conduct an investigation into the unrest.

To counter the chaos, a 60-day national state of emergency with a curfew was imposed, and intensive efforts to capture "Fito" are ongoing, while neighboring Colombia remains on alert.

Confronting an influx of crime linked to international drug cartels, Ecuador, which was once noted for its tranquility, has struggled with escalating violence. Noboa remains firm in his stance against these narco gangs that often operate from within prison walls.

With the country's murder rate soaring over recent years and record drug busts, the administration has introduced high-security prisons and even considered "prison ships" as part of its hardline policy.

Despite the construction of new facilities to contain the violence, grisly clashes in jails have resulted in over 460 deaths in the past two years.