The outgoing president of Ecuador, the conservative Guillermo Lassocalled yesterday Tuesday new director at the country’s prison serviceSNAI, after the new bloody episodes that broke out in July at the prison in the province of Guayas.

THE Luis Ordoniasa retired intelligence specialist, will replace him Guillermo RodriguezPresident Lasso said, according to his services.

Mr Rodriguez resigned last week amid criticism that he had failed to bring under control the situation in the Latin American nation’s prisons, where clashes between rival gang members have claimed more than 400 lives since 2021.

After last month’s incidents the outgoing head of state imposed a 60-day state of emergency on the entire prison system. This is a measure that he has taken repeatedly during his two years in office.

Mr Ordonies is the sixth director of SNAI appointed by Mr Lasso, a former banker, after he took office.

The decision was announced some 24 hours after seven executives and employees of the agency were arrested after weapons, ammunition, explosives, drugs and large sums of cash were found hidden in their offices at Guayas 1 prison, also known as Penitenciaría del Litoral.

Early parliamentary and presidential elections are being held in Ecuador on August 20.