Prison Officers Rescued from Ecuadorian Jail Hostage Crisis

Fifty prison guards and seven police officers have been freed after being taken hostage by inmates in six prisons across Ecuador, as part of a coordinated protest against security operations in the country's violent penitentiaries. The protests began after a military operation aimed at controlling weapons and explosives in a prison. In response, inmates and their allies took hostages and set off car bombs. The hostages have since been freed, but Ecuador's prison system continues to face challenges with violence, overcrowding, and gang warfare.