Noboa decides against Napo prison location following protests: It will now be built in Salinas

After almost two weeks of protests that blocked highways and threatened government offices, President Daniel Noboa has backed down on his plan to build a maximum-security prison in Archidona, in Napo Province. The presidential press office announced Monday that the prison will now be built near Salinas in Santa Elena Province.

Protesters against a new prison in Napo Province block a highway on Saturday.

According to the announcement, the relocation of the facility comes following an invitation from the Salinas mayor’s office, which says the project will boost the local economy. In a social media post, the mayor’s office said selection of a site will begin immediately.

If the construction in Salinas goes forward, it means that both of the government’s new maximum-security prisons will be located in Santa Elena Province. Construction of the first prison is underway near Juntas del Pacífico, 40 kilometers east of Salinas.

The government’s announcement follows 12 days of sometimes violent protests against the Napo prison site. Cantonal government and social organizations leaders claim the location chosen for the prison is near schools and residential areas and would pose a threat to local security.

During the protests, the main highway connecting Napo to Quito and the central valley has been blocked most days since December 3, although military personnel have cleared the route on several occasions. Over the weekend, the government building in Archidona was surrounded by protesters who made several attempts to breach a police cordon. On Sunday, army troops evicted a group of protesters occupying the entrance to the building.

Jorge Rosario, spokesman for the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (Conaie), claimed the prison site chosen by the government contradicted Noboa’s plan to build the prison far away from population centers. “In February, when the proposal was first put forward, it was to build these in locations that would not threaten the safety of citizens,” Roserio said. “The president said they would not be near schools and community centers. We have witnessed the situation in Guayaquil and we will not allow that to happen in Napo.”

Rosario added that the protest is not against construction of a new prison, but against its location. “We need secure facilities to house the drug criminals and murderers on the coast, but Archidona is not the place for it.” He suggested the prison be built in a location “near the problem.”

Rosario said businesses in Napo Province are focusing on attracting more tourists. “The world has heard about the riots in Ecuador’s prisons, and we don’t want something here that scares away visitors. We don’t have a crime problem in Napo and want to keep it that way.”

On Friday, the government announced it had awarded the Archidona prison construction contract to the Spanish company Grupo Puentes. It is unclear if the same contract will be executed in Santa Elena Province.

According to Noboa’s original plan, the two new prisons are modeled on high-security, high-tech facilities in El Salvador and will house more than 700 prisoners each.