Military will remain in control of country’s prisons

The government has formalized military control of Ecuador’s prison system. The National Comprehensive Security Plan for 2025-2029, released Monday, officially repeals the previous prison management plan adopted by the government of Lenin Moreno in 2019.

Under a new administrative plan, the government has officially put the armed forces in control of Ecuador’s prison system through 2029.

According to a spokesman for President Daniel Noboa, the new plan is a “model for unified action and control” that prioritizes prison management by the armed forces. “The plan consolidates operational restructuring under military authority to combat the different criminal structures operating within and outside of the prisons,” the statement said.

The new plan follows national and international criticism of Ecuador’s prison management, which has been labeled “one of worst systems, with the most human rights abuses, in the world,” by Human Rights Watch.

In 2025, 1,220 inmates died of various causes in the country’s prisons, many listed as “undetermined” by the government. The investigative website Tierra de Nadie said many of deaths were the result of lack of medical care and even starvation. According to the United Nations Human Rights office, thousands of prisoners suffer from tuberculosis and receive no medical treatment.

Human Rights Watch reports that an unknown number of prison deaths were the result of torture, which it says is “routine practice” throughout the system.

The government and military command deny most of the charges and say security is the top priority. It admits the system is overcrowded, currently housing 30% more inmates than facilities were designed for.

As well as centralizing prison control with the armed forces, the new plan eliminates some rehabilitation and family visitation options. “Although we will continue to resplect the dignity of human life, our priorities now are national interests,” the government spokesman said.

Under the 2025-2029 plan, the government will deploy additional military personnel to the prisons, although no numbers were provided. Currently, 34,000 soldiers are assigned to prison duty.