Yesterday, President Daniel Noboa announced the declaration of a state of emergency in Ecuador, in response to what he called “internal commotion” due to the growing increase in crime and violence both on the streets and in the country’s prisons.
The decision arises following the escape of the alleged leader of “Los Choneros”, Adolfo Macías, alias “Fito”, this weekend.
The state of emergency grants the Armed Forces the authority to act in support of the Police, especially in the control of security in prisons, a measure that has already been implemented in previous situations.
“I have barely signed the state of emergency decree to fully support the Armed Forces in their actions,” Noboa said in a statement shared through Instagram.
You may be interested: A new earthquake shook Japan this Tuesday
The measure, valid for 60 days, grants Noboa the ability to deploy the military on the streets and allow their entry into prisons, alleging a “serious internal commotion” in the nation, as well as the power to suspend citizen rights.
In an additional development, authorities reported this Tuesday that Fabricio Colón Pico, alias ‘Captain Pico’, recently arrested for threatening to assassinate the attorney generalDiana Salazar, has escaped from the Riobamba prison. The Ecuadorian Police confirmed the escape of another 38 inmates along with Pico from the same prison in the province of Chimborazo, in the center of the country.
Faced with the uptick in violence and insecurity in Ecuador, President Noboa has also decreed a night curfew from 11:00 pm to 5:00 am At the same time, the mayor of Quito, Pabel Muñoz, has requested the militarization of strategic facilities in the capital, marking a comprehensive response to the complex situation facing the country.
You can read: Pope Francis asked that surrogacy be prohibited