As dawn broke over Machala, Ecuador, the sounds of gunfire and screams shattered the quiet coastal town. By morning, 31 inmates were dead — 27 of them found hanged or asphyxiated. What began as chaos behind prison walls became another tragic chapter in a country overwhelmed by gang violence and fear.

Locals awoke to explosions and cries for help echoing from the prison. “It sounded like a war,” one resident whispered. Police stormed the facility before sunrise, but it was too late. Inside, the aftermath was unspeakable — lifeless bodies, smoke, and silence. Forensic teams are still piecing together what happened during those dark hours.

Officials say the riot began after a reorganization inside the prison’s maximum-security wing, triggering violent clashes between rival gangs. Dozens were injured, including one police officer. President Daniel Noboa’s administration, which has vowed to fight organized crime, called the bloodshed “a painful reminder of the war raging inside our prisons.”

For families outside the gates, the waiting was unbearable. Mothers clutched photos, praying for news. “We just want to know if they’re alive,” one woman sobbed. But many would never get that relief.

Ecuador’s prisons have become the epicenter of the drug war, with more than 500 inmates killed since 2021. Nestled between Peru and Colombia — the world’s top cocaine producers — Ecuador’s jails now serve as battlegrounds for cartels vying for control.

For the people of Machala, the tragedy is more than numbers. It’s another painful sign that peace feels further away than ever.