QUITO, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Ecuador's National Police on Thursday morning foiled an escape attempt by inmates at the Litoral Penitentiary in Guayaquil amid a new riot in the prison, the Minister of Government Patricio Pazmino said.

"During the early hours of February 25, police thwarted escape attempt, seized 5 firearms, 5 feeders and 52 rounds of ammunition," the minister posted on his Twitter account.

After successive violent incidences in Ecuadorian prisons, Pazmino ordered the country's governorships to permanently activate security committees in the provinces to overcome the "prison crisis."

According to local media, at least 130 inmates attempted to escape, 123 of whom have been recaptured, while seven are still at large.

The riot was put down by police forces, the National Police said, while not officially confirming the death of four prisoners in their cells as reported by local media.

On Wednesday night, General Commander of the National Police Patricio Carrillo announced new riots in two prisons in Guayaquil and Cotopaxi, a day after 79 prisoners died in clashes between rival gangs rioting in several prisons in the South American country.

Carrillo said that amid the new riots, the National Police "deployed its operational and tactical units, which have made it possible to reestablish order and security for officials and prisoners."

The 79 deaths during Tuesday's riots exceed the number of deaths in 2020, when there were 51 murders in the prison system, according to government data. Enditem

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