The most wanted criminals walk free

19 highly dangerous prisoners escaped in Ecuador on last Monday from the Social Rehabilitation Center No. 2 in Guayaquil, known as “La Roca,” prison presented to society as the Ecuadorian version of “Alcatraz“.

According to the version of the Ministry of Justice, the 14 prison guards who were supposed to maintain order in the room “were submitted, handcuffed and locked in a cell.”

Prisoners, who were “heavily armed“, intimidated them, stripped them out of their uniforms and radio devices and tossed them to the aisles, and then, dressing as guides, escaped unnoticed by the security cameras.

It took almost two hours before the guards of port 1 and 2 of La Roca had knowledge about the escape of the 19 inmates.

Inhabitants of the parish La Aurora (Daule canton) observed a group breeze through a citadel under construction and adjacent to the Daule river. Apparently going out of “La Roca,” took a boat and crossed the river to the citadel. “They were wet and muddy. Others carrying weapons and vehicles were waiting on the road,” said a witness.

Pictures and names of the fugitives who escaped “La Roca” prison.

The fugitives are extremely dangerous

According to reports by the Ministry of Justice, the 19 fugitives were serving sentences for murder, drug trafficking, extortion and assault armor.

It is known that nine of the refugees were from the band “Los Choneros” (murder, extortion, drug trafficking).

Three were leaders of that group. Together they were sentenced in the middle of last year to serve a 25-year sentence.

Another fugitive allegedly belonged to the band “Los Templados”, six others were held for killings, one for Emelgur robbery, in which a child died after a shootout, and two from other causes.

Government offers reward

Ministers José Serrano y Johana Pesántez giving statements on the matter.

In an interview on radio Universal Pichincha, Quito, the candidate-president Rafael Correa referred to the act: “I will not say anything, but this cannot be done without outside help. It’s a lot of coincidence that this happens four days before the elections. Third, again, I have no further details of the event; responsibilities should be established and especially, fourth, we have to recapture these criminals who are extremely dangerous.”

Correa said the government is offering up to $ 100,000 reward for each fugitive.

Interior Minister, José Serrano, confirmed that the rewards will be paid in exchange for information on the escapees, whose chips are on the web.