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María Daniela Icaza

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In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Resabala and the second or maternal family name is Icaza.

María Daniela Icaza Resabala (died 12 September 2024) was an Ecuadorian prison official who was the acting director of the Litoral Penitentiary (Spanish: Penitenciaría del Litoral), known officially as Center for Social Rehabilitation of Men No. 1 of Guayaquil (Spanish: Centro de Rehabilitación Social de Varones N. 1 de Guayaquil), the largest prison in Ecuador. The prison holds nearly 12,000 inmates.[1] She was killed during a wave of violence against prison and municipal officials[2] after gang violence put the country's prisons under military protection.[3]

Background

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In 2011, María Daniela Icaza Resabala worked at Ecuador's Civil Registry. She earned a degree in social communication before joining the civil service.[4] She was married, a mother of two children and the leader of a scout group.[5] In 2016, she joined the Ministry of Justice and began work at the prison directorate, the National Service for Comprehensive Care for Adult Persons Deprived of Liberty and Adolescent Offenders (Spanish: Servicio Nacional de Atención Integral a Personas Adultas Privadas de la Libertad y Adolescentes Infractore). There, she began work at Litoral Penitentiary.[5] Icaza had nearly a decade of experience working at the Penitentiary[6] before she was promoted to acting prison director.[7]

Prior to becoming director, Icaza Resabala had worked several roles in the prison, including ward director. According to colleagues, Icaza Resabala was noted for her integrity and rapport with inmates. She was reportedly involved in coordinating the release of inmates for medical consultations,[8] a significant responsibility, as the prison had only rudimentary medical facilities.[9]

Litoral Penitentiary

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Icaza came to Litoral Penitentiary at a time when organized crime and drug violence had begun to change Ecuador's perception of safety, and the prison system was in a state of crisis.[10][11] From 2021 to 2024, more than 400 deaths have reportedly taken place in Ecuadorian prisons due to gang violence.[12] Litoral Penitentiary became known as the country's "most violent", after a series of deadly riots, violence and gang activity.[13] Several notable incidents, including the February 2021 Ecuadorian prison riots, September 2021 Guayaquil prison riot,[14] and November 2021 Guayaquil prison riot contributed to the institution's reputation.[15]

After a string of incidents in 2021, rapporteurs from the United Nations Committee against Torture and Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture issued a press release abhorring the violence taking place in the country's prisons, and calling on Ecuador to commit to upholding a commitment to maintain security inside the prison system.[16] These concerns were echoed in 2022, when human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch highlighted security failings at Litoral. They put blame on prison officials for overcrowding, poor management and unsafe conditions at the penitentiary.[17] Despite efforts, violence continued to thrive at Litoral.

In July 2023, 31 inmates were killed during riots, and over 120 guards were held hostage at Litoral. It required 2,700 members of the security forces to stop the fighting.[18] The next month, the military returned to disrupt rioting once again after several inmates were killed.[19] Amnesty International described the conditions at the prison as violating the human rights of detainees and their family members.[9]

Villamar's escape and insecurity

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See also: 2024 Ecuadorian conflict and Ecuadorian security crisis

In January 2024, drug lord José Adolfo Macías Villamar escaped from Litoral Penitentiary, where he was serving a thirty-four year sentence[20] and where Icaza was serving as director. Villamar was said to have "significant control" of the prison prior to his escape.[21]

After his escape, criminal gangs in Ecuador launched widescale attacks, including arsons, bombings, and a hostage situation on a newsroom.[22] The actions led Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa to declare a state of emergency, calling in military support to control the violence.[3] In the months that followed, the country continued to experience a growing security crisis due to increasing influence of criminal gangs.[23] As prisons became headquarters for the gangs, on 15 January 2024, Noboa put the prison system under military control.[24][25] Conjugal visits at Ecuadorian prisons, notably Litoral Penitentiary, were stopped under the new system.[26]

Increased pressure on prison officials

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In April 2024, a constitutional referendum gave increased military support to control crime in the country. On the same day as the referendum, the director of the El Rodeo prison was murdered in retaliation.[25] Cosme Damián Parrales had been appointed director of the prison a week prior to his assassination. He was shot while eating with his wife at a restaurant.[27] In May 2024, two prison officers from Litoral Penitentiary were killed in retaliation for enhanced security measures at the prison. In July, a riot at the prison led to the deaths of 18 inmates, with more wounded.[28]

Under increasing pressure from inmate's families, in August, Icaza responded to press inquiries about the 7-month cessation of conjugal visits in Litoral prison to say the visits would resume under certain conditions.[29] The visits were suspended after Villamar's escape.

On 31 August 2024, two prison officers were murdered on their way to work in the province of Guayas.[30][31] On 3 September 2024, the director of Lago Agrio prison in Sucumbios province, Álex Xavier Guevara Angulo[1] was killed in an armed attack while he was riding in a vehicle.[30] Guevara Angulo was previously threatened by organized crime groups, and as a result had submitted resignation as director. According to his family, his resignation was not accepted by the SNAI and he was not provided protection.[32]

Incident

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Murder of Maria Daniela Icaza Resabala
Part of Ecuadorian security crisis
LocationKilometer 14.5 vía a Daule, north of Guayaquil
Date12 September 2024
18:00 – 18:32
TargetMaria Daniela Icaza Resabala
Attack type
Assassination
WeaponFirearm
Deaths1
Injured1
PerpetratorsOrganized crime gangs operating inside the prison system
No. of participants
2
CoronersLaboratorio de Criminalística y Ciencias Forenses de Guayaquil

For nearly three months prior to her death, Icaza received specific threats on her life.[33][34] Icaza reportedly told authorities about the threats.[35][36] In an effort to protect herself, Icaza had stopped driving with her husband to work, and changed the route and colleagues she travelled with.[33]

On 12 September 2024, Icaza was a passenger in a vehicle travelling on Vía a Daule in northern Guayaquil. She and colleague Byron Olaya had left the prison at the end of the work day.[37] Early reports suggested around 18:00 while waiting in heavy traffic, two individuals on a motorcycle came up to the car she was riding in and fired several shots. Icaza was fatally injured and the car's driver, another prison officer, was critically injured.[1] She died on the way to Guasmo Sur Hospital around 18:32.[5] Icaza was 35 years old.[6]

The attack took place approximately two kilometers from Litoral Penitentiary.[38] The motorcycle the assailants were driving was found to have been stolen.[1] Later reports indicated that additional vehicles were involved in the attack, including a red car and a white sport utility vehicle.[33]

Aftermath

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At the time of her death, Icaza did not have additional security for her protection.[1] It is unclear if she had requested additional security prior to her murder.[39] On 14 September, the National Police issued a statement reporting that there was no requirement to issue officers for Icaza's protection at the time of her death.[40]

Upon learning of her assassination, Ecuador's former President Rafael Correa lamented the murder of a “wonderful and incorruptible” person.[41]

On 15 September, authorities announced they had apprehended one suspect from Pascuales, and were holding them in custody for the crime.[1][42]

On 16 September, Interior Minister Mónica Palencia said 28 public servants who had experienced threats have received protection.[36] Icaza's widower, also a prison officer, requested protection due to specific threats to his and his children's lives.[33]

Continued violence

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On 19 September, another targeted attack occurred on two SNAI officials in a vehicle in Quito, Ecuador. Both were shot by assailants on a motorcycle when their car was stopped in traffic. Both individuals survived the attack and are in critical condition at a hospital.[32]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "Policía detiene a sospechoso del asesinato de María Daniela Icaza". www.vistazo.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  2. ^ https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/ecuador-prison-director-killed-1-wounded-2024-09-13/
  3. ^ a b "Ecuador prison director shot dead as she drove with coworker, second such killing this month - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. 13 September 2024. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  4. ^ "Las pistas del crimen de la directora (e) de la Peni: ¿La mafia conserva el control en la cárcel?". www.extra.ec (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  5. ^ a b c "Quién era María Daniela Icaza Resabala, la directora de la cárcel baleada en la vía a Daule". El Universo (in Spanish). 13 September 2024. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  6. ^ a b https://www.lahora.com.ec/pais/ex-directora-penitenciaria-no-pidio-custodia-atentado-costo-vida-policia/
  7. ^ "Policía se pronuncia sobre la falta de resguardo a la directora de la Penitenciaría que fue asesinada". Metro Ecuador (in Spanish). 14 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  8. ^ "¿Quién era María Daniela Icaza, la directora de la Penitenciaría asesinada?". Diario Expreso (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  9. ^ a b "Human rights in Ecuador". Amnesty International. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  10. ^ "How Ecuador went from tourist haven to a nation in the grip of gangs". 10 April 2024. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  11. ^ "A Surge in Crime and Violence Has Ecuador Reeling | Council on Foreign Relations". www.worldpoliticsreview.com. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  12. ^ mdzol.com. "Asesinan a tiros a la directora de la prisión más grande de Ecuador". MdzOnline (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  13. ^ Mella, Carolina (1 August 2023). "Hell at the gates of Litoral, the most dangerous prison in Ecuador". EL PAÍS English. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  14. ^ Pozzebon, Stefano; Canizares, Ana Maria (6 October 2021). "The war inside Ecuador's prisons". CNN. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  15. ^ "Ecuador prison riot: New fighting at Guayaquil jail kills 68". BBC News. 13 November 2021. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  16. ^ https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2021/12/ecuador-has-obligation-ensure-security-inside-prisons-un-experts
  17. ^ "Ecuador: Gang Control of Prisons Enabled Massacres". Human Rights Watch. 19 July 2022. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  18. ^ "Ecuador police find dozens of bodies during jail sweep". BBC News. 26 July 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  19. ^ "Militares y policías intervienen nuevamente la Penitenciaría del Litoral". El Universo (in Spanish). 3 August 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  20. ^ "What we know about 'Fito', Ecuador's notorious gang leader who escaped jail". France 24. 11 January 2024. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  21. ^ "Adolfo Macías Villamar: Curfew in Ecuador after infamous gang leader 'Fito' vanishes from cell". BBC News. 8 January 2024. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  22. ^ "Ocho muertos y dos heridos durante horas de violencia y conmoción en Guayaquil: este es el balance de esta jornada de terror". El Universo (in Spanish). 9 January 2024. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  23. ^ Berg, Ryan C.; Bledsoe, Rubi (24 April 2024). "In the Eye of the Storm: Ecuador's Compounding Crises". Center for Strategic and International Studies.
  24. ^ "Reporters - Danger at every corner: How Ecuadoran city of Guayaquil became unliveable". France 24. 3 May 2024. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  25. ^ a b S.A.P, El Mercurio (14 September 2024). "Un año de violencia sin freno: La cronología de los acontecimientos más graves en las cárceles de Ecuador". Emol (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  26. ^ "Visitas conyugales en la Penitenciaría del Litoral llevan siete meses suspendidas". www.extra.ec (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  27. ^ "Director de la cárcel El Rodeo fue asesinado una semana después de asumir el cargo". Diario Expreso (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  28. ^ "Crisis carcelaria Ecuador: Los episodios violentos del último año". Diario Expreso (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  29. ^ "Visitas conyugales en la Penitenciaría del Litoral llevan siete meses suspendidas". www.extra.ec (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  30. ^ a b "Ecuador prison chief killed, second this month: Officials". The Times of India. 13 September 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  31. ^ "SNAI confirma el asesinato de la directora encargada de la Penitenciaría del Litoral". Diario Expreso (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  32. ^ a b "Funcionarios de SNAI bajo asedio de la mafia: dos casos en menos de una semana". Diario Expreso (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  33. ^ a b c d "Los datos ocultos del crimen de María Daniela Icaza, directora de Penitenciaría: estaba amenazada". www.extra.ec (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  34. ^ "Crimen de María Daniela Icaza: Policía asegura que no existió requerimiento de custodia". www.vistazo.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  35. ^ "Crimen de María Daniela Icaza: Policía asegura que no existió requerimiento de custodia". www.vistazo.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  36. ^ a b "Hermano de directora encargada de la Penitenciaría del Litoral asesinada dijo que ella recibió amenazas". El Universo (in Spanish). 16 September 2024. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  37. ^ "¿Quién era María Daniela Icaza, la directora de la Penitenciaría asesinada?". Diario Expreso (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  38. ^ "María Icaza, la directora carcelaria asesinada en Guayaquil, ¿tenía custodia?". www.extra.ec (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  39. ^ "Ecuador detiene a un presunto implicado en el asesinato de directora de cárcel Litoral". SWI swissinfo.ch (in European Spanish). 15 September 2024. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  40. ^ "Policía se pronuncia sobre la falta de resguardo a la directora de la Penitenciaría que fue asesinada". Metro Ecuador (in Spanish). 14 September 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  41. ^ "Crimen de María Daniela Icaza: Policía asegura que no existió requerimiento de custodia". www.vistazo.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  42. ^ "Asesinato de María Daniela Icaza: dictan prisión preventiva para implicado en el crimen". www.vistazo.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 September 2024.
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