In Ecuador, prisons are facing a crisis as thousands of inmates go hungry due to a debt owed by the government to a food supplier. The company that provided meals to 11,000 inmates in 20 prisons has stopped delivering food because of a $30 million debt owed by the government of Daniel Noboa. This debt also includes school meals for one and a half million children. The first signs of food shortages in prisons were reported on April 26, but the government denied that feeding had been suspended.
The situation has led to fears among prisoners’ relatives, who have gathered outside prisons like the Litoral Penitentiary in Guayaquil, worried that their loved ones may starve to death. The crisis is exacerbated by reports of mistreatment and abuse of inmates since the government declared a state of internal commotion and allowed the military to enter the prisons.
In response to the food shortages, some prisons have allowed family members to bring food to the inmates. However, many families are struggling to provide for their incarcerated loved ones and have turned to collecting donations from their communities. Human rights organizations have documented numerous cases of torture and mistreatment in prisons since the government implemented the state of emergency.
The government has accused Lafattoria SA, which provided meals for prisoners and schools, of engaging in illegal activities and corruption. However, Lafattoria SA denies these allegations and claims it was not paid on time for its services provided. Despite sending a report to the Prosecutor’s Office, Lafattoria SA maintains that it did nothing wrong.
The situation has caused immense stress and worry for families who have little information about their loved ones’ well-being behind bars. Families are calling on President Noboa’s administration to take immediate action on this crisis before it escalates further.
Human rights organizations have called on Ecuadorian authorities to investigate this matter thoroughly and hold those responsible accountable for violating human rights standards in prisons.
Overall, this crisis highlights how vulnerable prison populations can be when governments fail to pay suppliers or provide adequate funding for essential services such as healthcare and nutrition.
