The streets in Ecuador fell silent the day after hooded gunman invaded a reside tv broadcast, as President Daniel Noboa declared a “state of war” on drug-trafficking gangs.
Residents within the nation’s capital Quito and port metropolis of Guayaquil likened the ambiance to a pandemic lockdown, with many companies closed and faculties shuttered.
“It’s horrible, the streets are very empty,” Rodolfo Tuaz, a 40-year-old safety guard mentioned. “It’s a very cold environment, as if there were a new COVID.”
It comes after reside tv pictures broadcast on Tuesday confirmed individuals carrying balaclavas – some waving weapons – inside Ecuador’s TC Television station in Guayaquil.
Alleged gang members have been seen telling TC workers to lie down on the ground and claimed that they’d “bombs”, whereas shouting and noises just like gunshots could possibly be heard within the background.
The authorities mentioned almost 330 individuals, together with 13 individuals in reference to the reside broadcast raid, had been arrested for alleged acts of terrorism.
In an up to date assertion, President Noboa mentioned: “We are in a state of war and we cannot give in.”
“We’ve taken measures that should have been taken a long time ago, and which past governments didn’t take the decision to do,” he mentioned.
“We are living in a state practically of war against terrorism, these are not organised criminal groups, but terrorists sometimes financed by narcotraffic, sometimes human trafficking, organ trafficking, gunrunning.”
He named 22 gangs as terrorist organisations, making them official navy targets.
The president warned that judges, prosecutors and officers who collaborated with the gangs can be thought of a part of a terrorist community.
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Unrest was triggered after the chief of one in all Ecuador’s strongest drug gangs – Los Choneros – disappeared from jail.
Adolfo Macias – also called Fito – was serving a 34-year sentence in La Regional jail for drug trafficking and homicide when he was reported lacking from his cell on 6 January.
President Noboa declared a 60-day state of emergency, which he hardened after greater than 130 jail guards and workers have been taken hostage inside prisons and a collection of explosions have been reported throughout the South American nation.
The authorities claimed the most recent wave of violence is a response to the president’s plan to construct new high-security prisons for gang leaders.
The nation may even start deporting international prisoners, particularly Colombians, to cut back jail populations and spending.
Source: information.sky.com”