Ecuador’s president issued directives on Tuesday to take action against criminal gangs following a series of violent incidents, including gunfire in a TV studio and threats of random executions, plunging the country into a state of distress.
Amidst the chaos, at least 10 individuals lost their lives in what President Daniel Noboa termed an “internal armed conflict,” attributed to gangs.
He authorized military operations to address and incapacitate these criminal groups, prompted by the gangs’ declaration of war following the escape of one of Ecuador’s prominent narcotics leaders from prison on Sunday.
The violence included eight fatalities and three injuries in Guayaquil, along with the brutal killing of two officers in Nobol by armed criminals, as reported by the police on Tuesday evening.
Once a tranquil refuge between major cocaine-exporting nations Colombia and Peru, Ecuador has witnessed a surge in violence in recent times, attributed to rival gangs associated with Mexican and Colombian cartels striving for dominance.
Following the escape of Jose Adolfo Macias, also known as “Fito,” the head of Ecuador’s largest gang, Los Choneros, President Noboa declared a nationwide state of emergency and imposed a nightly curfew.
In retaliation, gangs took police officers hostage, detonated explosives in multiple cities, and stormed a state-owned TC Television studio in Guayaquil on Tuesday, wielding firearms and explosives.
The chaotic intrusion during a live broadcast prompted pleas for mercy as the assailants coerced terrified staff to the ground, resulting in a frantic scene before the police intervened after approximately half an hour.
President Noboa, aged 36 and elected on a platform to combat drug-related violence, subsequently ordered military operations against these gangs, labeling them as “terrorist organizations and hostile non-state actors.”
Authorities reported numerous explosions and vehicle arsons, including incidents in the capital Quito, along with the abduction of seven police officers. A distressing video circulated on social media, displaying kidnapped officers coerced into making threatening statements addressed to Noboa.
The escalating violence prompted widespread panic, leading to early closures of businesses, suspension of in-person classes nationwide until Friday, and citizens rushing home. International responses included the US expressing grave concerns, Peru placing its border with Ecuador under a state of emergency, and China suspending its embassy and consulate services in Ecuador.
Amidst the chaos, neighboring countries such as Chile, Colombia, and Brazil extended messages of solidarity to President Noboa, emphasizing the urgent need to restore peace in Ecuador.
Law enforcement is currently conducting a manhunt for “Fito,” who escaped while serving a lengthy sentence for various crimes. Another narco boss, Fabricio Colon Pico, also escaped custody, contributing to unrest across multiple prisons, where inmates have taken numerous guards and administrative officers captive.
Amid unverified social media footage depicting the alleged execution of guards by prisoners, the security forces have conducted several prison raids. President Noboa reaffirmed a commitment to quell the violence, vowing to “not negotiate with terrorists” until peace is restored for all Ecuadorans.
The scourge of drug-related violence has significantly impacted Ecuador, a key waypoint in the cocaine trade. The country has seen a quadruple increase in murder rates between 2018 and 2022, along with record drug seizures last year, totaling 220 tons. Additionally, internal prison conflicts since February 2021 have resulted in over 460 deaths, many of whom were gruesomely killed or burned alive in clashes among inmates.
