Ecuador's Prison Crisis: Car Bombs and Hostage Situations Plague Fragile Security

Inmates at a prison in Cuenca, Ecuador, have taken 57 guards and police officers hostage in protest against government intervention in the country's prison system. The hostage situation is believed to be linked to the ongoing power struggle between drug trafficking gangs operating within the prisons. President Guillermo Lasso declared a state of emergency and deployed the military to clean up the penitentiary system, leading to tensions and violent reactions. A viral video recorded by the hostages appeals to the government to respect the human rights of the prisoners.