Noboa emulates Bukele and opens a huge prison to combat gang violence that has plagued Ecuador’s prisons

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Ecuador’s President, Daniel Noboa, has opened a massive high-security prison in Santa Elena, inspired by the model of Nayib Bukele in El Salvador, to combat gang violence in the country’s prisons.

The first 300 high-risk prisoners, including former Vice President Jorge Glas, have already been transferred to the new prison after the recent massacre in Machala prison that left 31 people dead.

The new “Al-Encounter Prison,” which was built with a budget of $52 million, has advanced technological measures and will be guarded by retired police and military personnel.

The prison’s grand opening coincides with an important week for Noboa, marked by an imminent referendum on calling for a constituent assembly and other reforms.

Daniel Noboa It aims to combat violence in prisons through tradition Nayeb Bukele. On Monday, the President of Ecuador confirmed his arrival High security prison It is located in an isolated area of the coastal province of Santa Elena, which mimics the huge prison in El Salvador that housed the first 300 inmates. A group classified as high-risk includes former Corista vice president Jorge Glass.

The prisoner transfer came just one day after 31 prisoners were killed A confrontation between members of two criminal gangs Rivals inside Machala Prison. The government attributed the massacre to this movement, but the prisoners themselves rejected this.

The arrival of the prisoners to this prison occurred at the beginning of the crucial week in which Noboa risked his political capital through the referendum he called for its establishment. – A constituent assembly to draft a new constitutionamong other reforms such as the establishment of foreign military bases.

Crime wanted to challenge Ecuador and start their campaign. Today, Ecuador responded with the facts.

The first 300 people of the most dangerous PPL have already been transferred to Cárcel del Encuentro. pic.twitter.com/fu3OJQ7fhC

– Daniel Noboa Azen (@DanielNoboaOk) November 10, 2025

This prison, with a capacity of 736 prisoners and intended to emulate the Bukele model, was one of the great promises made by Noboa when he came to power in 2023, along with another with similar characteristics that has yet to be achieved.

Construction began in June 2024 with With a budget of 52 million dollars (about 45 million euros) The works were carried out by Puentes y Calzadas Infraestructuras, a subsidiary of the Spanish conglomerate Grupo Puentes, which controls the state-owned China Road and Bridge Corporation.

Ecuadorian President and re-election candidate Daniel Noboa speaks to the media as the electoral council says he has won the presidential election, in Santa Elena, Ecuador, April 13, 2025.

He called him Noboa Assembly prison In reference to the slogan of the government of former President Guillermo Laso (2021-2023), which was replaced by the current president, this prison is located in an inhospitable area in the coastal province of Santa Elena, one of the areas most affected by the crime and violence that has ravaged the country for years.

“Welcome” to Glass

Hours after announcing the transfer of prisoners, the president confirmed the presence of the former Corista party vice president in the new facilities despite recent precautionary measures issued by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (Inter-American Court), which asked the Ecuadorian state to guarantee the physical and mental health of the former politician.

“Welcome to the new home. Other criminals will arrive soon“Noboa wrote on social networks with some photos of Glass, who until now was in La Roca prison, wearing the usual orange jumpsuits for inmates.

Glass currently has three convictions for corruption crimes, and since April 2024 he has been back in prison after Noboa ordered an attack on the Mexican embassy in Quito to arrest him again and remove him by force, once the former vice president obtained asylum from the Mexican government, considering him politically persecuted.

More than 600 dead

This prison was upgraded by Noboa in response to Crisis of criminal violence Which has plagued Ecuador’s prisons in recent years, with more than 600 inmates killed since 2021, most of them in a series of massacres by… Clashes between rival gangs Such as Los Choneros, Los Lobos, Los Lagartos and others.

As Home Secretary John Remberg detailed, the prison has “all technological measures” such that “no artifacts can enter other than what should be contained within this prison centre,” as well as having “everything necessary for medical care” thus preventing prisoners from having to go to hospitals.

It is also expected That the government appoint retired police officers and military personnel To be responsible for their security, instead of agents of the National Service for the Comprehensive Care of Persons Deprived of Liberty (SNAI), the executive office charged with managing and guarding prisons.

The vast majority of Ecuador’s prisons have been militarized since January 2024, when President Daniel Noboa declared “internal armed conflict” to combat violence in the country, which is witnessing the worst crisis in its modern history to the point where it leads Latin America in homicide rates.