Ecuador is cracking down on prisons to restore order after guards and other staff were held hostage by inmates since the beginning of last week when chaos erupted in the country after a drug gang boss escaped prison. The staff have now been freed.  

Drug gangs had been holding around 130 guards and staff hostage in response to President Daniel Noboa declaring a state of emergency following the escape of Aldofo Macias. Macias was set to be transferred to a higher security prison which angered him and incited the initial aggression seen from gangs. On the day of his transfer, the gang boss disappeared from his cell.

Last Saturday evening, prison staff who had been taken hostage earlier in the week were freed. A crackdown on gangs commenced and images of shirtless prisoners guarded by security were posted to the official account of the Joint Command of the Armed Forces of Ecuador on Sunday.