Tuberculosis and malnutrition force closure of wing of Guayaquil prison; Rejection rate for U.S. tourist visas sets record; Landslides, floods plague the area

Inmates of an entire wing of Litoral Prison in Guayaquil have been transferred to another prison north of the city as a result of high rates of tuberculosis, malnutrition and death. In total, the national prison authority said that 496 prisoners were relocated.
According to prisoner rights advocates, the move was prompted by the scheduled visit of a team of experts led by the national Ombudsman’s Office.

Fernando Bastas, lawyer for the Committee for the Defense of Human Rights (CDH), said the government “avoided the embarrassment” of conditions that a formal visit would have revealed. “Those conditions are terrible in terms of the living arrangements of prisoners, lack of adequate food and health care for victims of the TB epidemic,” he said. “Inmates are dropping dead every day. Those who have been on the inside of the pavilion report that conditions are inhumane, with a rat infestation and inoperable plumbing, among other problems.”

A rockslide blocks the road between Santa Isabel and Pucará. (El Mercurio)

According to the Ombudsman, the death rate at Litoral Prison is one of the highest in the world. Although the government has yet to release final figures, at least 600 deaths were recorded in 2025. So far in 2026, the Ombudsman says 124 inmates have died at the prison.

Bastas insists the work of the human rights groups and the Ombudsman’s Office will continue. “We are pleased that the prisoners have been moved to another prison but now we must make sure conditions in the new facility have improved.”

Rejection rate for Ecuadorians seeking U.S. tourist visas sets record
The rejection rate of Ecuadorians applying for tourist visas to the U.S. reached an historic high in 2025, with 42.24% of applications denied. Among South American countries, only residents of Venezuela, at 74%, had a higher rejection rate.

Applicants from Argentina and Uruguay had the highest acceptance rate, at 91% and 92% respectively, for B1 and B2 tourist visas.

According to the U.S. State Department, the visa denial rate for Ecuadorians has climbed more than 25% since 2021, when only 15.68% of applications were denied.

Ecuador’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it is in contact with the U.S. Embassy in Quito regarding an explanation of the increasing rate of tourist visa denials.

Landslides and flooding plague Azuay and Cañar Provinces
The heavy rains are wreaking havoc on highways, roads and bridges in Azuay and Cañar Provinces. Major highways affected include Cuenca-Loja, Cuenca- Molleturo-Guayaquil and Biblián-Zhud. In addition, secondary highways such as Santa Isabel-Pucará and Granda-Centeno continue to be blocked by landslides.

The city of Cuenca and the Azuay Prefecture are coordinating with the national Transportation Ministry to clear roadways in multiple locations, but continuing rainfall is triggering new landslides. Near Santa Isable, residents say many back roads are impassable due to flooding of the Jubones River, with a bridge in the Sulupali community destroyed and multiple sink holes opening adjacent to the river.

Officials are warning motorists to check road conditions before traveling.