L’Ecuador it is increasingly in chaos. President Daniel Noboa talked about “internal armed conflict” and received the support of Parliament: in the last few hours, after the escape of the narco king, he declared a state of emergency and a series of violence broke out culminating in the invasion of an armed group in a television channel in Guayaquil . There were simultaneous attacks in several cities, which resulted in at least ten dead and three wounded. The Ministry of Health has ordered the suspension of all scheduled outpatient services, hospitalizations and surgical interventions until a later date, underlining that they will be guaranteed in the country only emergency services in hospitals.
In these hours, the leaders of numerous countries in theAmerica latina are showing solidarity with Noboa who – two months after taking office – faces a serious public safety crisis. The head of US diplomacy for Latin America, Brian Nicholsexpressed his “extreme concern”.
Reports of looting and violence continue in the country. Tension reached its peak with the invasion of armed groups into a television studio on January 9th. In the dramatic images broadcast live, which went around the world on social media, hooded men, dressed in sports suits, holding grenades and machine guns they took several journalists and technicians hostage, threatening them with death. Many journalists with folded hands begged them for their lives. After half an hour of panic, the studio lights went out and we could only hear the arrival of the special police forces. “Please, they came to kill us. God don’t let this happen. The criminals are on air,” one of the journalists told AFP in a WhatsApp message. The officers then managed to arrest part of the group of attackers. During the attack on the TV, the president declared that an “internal armed conflict” was underway in the country, and requested by decree the deployment and immediate intervention of the security forces against organized crime. Noboa identified some of the most powerful drug trafficking criminal organizations active in the area as “terrorist” and “non-state actors”.
Chaos ensued in the streets with soldiers on the streets while Looting of shopping centers is multiplying. Some filmed gunmen shooting at police cars and burning several cars in the street. Appeals to stay at home are multiplying, while there are those who report gangs of criminals who are trying to raid universities to capture hostages.