Ecuadoran President Daniel Noboa ordered military operations on Tuesday against the country’s powerful criminal groups after hooded gunmen stormed a television studio and gangsters threatened to execute security forces and civilians.
Noboa declared the country in a state of “internal armed conflict” just hours after gangsters declared “war” in an escalating security crisis sparked by the prison escape of one of Ecuador‘s most powerful criminal bosses.
Once a tranquil refuge situated between the prominent cocaine-exporting nations of Colombia and Peru, Ecuador has witnessed a surge in violence in recent years. Rival gangs, affiliated with Mexican and Colombian cartels, are now in fierce competition for dominance.
In a social media announcement, Noboa declared, “I have directed the armed forces to initiate military operations aimed at neutralizing these factions.”
Following this incident, Noboa’s statement gained urgency, as armed assailants armed with rifles and grenades attacked the TC television studio in the port city of Guayaquil. Amidst the chaos, a woman’s voice pleaded for mercy, saying, “Don’t shoot, please don’t shoot.”
The intruders forcibly brought the terrified studio crew to the ground, and amidst the ongoing live broadcast, a person’s anguished screams could be heard as the studio lights went off.
A TC employee, messaging AFP via WhatsApp, conveyed the gravity of the situation, saying, “Please, they came in to kill us. God, don’t let this happen. The criminals are on air.” Ecuadoran President Daniel
Approximately 30 minutes into the pandemonium, law enforcement officers entered the studio, and a voice announced that they had a wounded companion. This violent incident followed earlier events on Tuesday when gang members kidnapped police officers and triggered explosions in various cities, responding to Noboa’s declaration of a 60-day state of emergency and nighttime curfew.