An Ecuadorian journalist who was held at gunpoint reside on air has instructed Sky News how his attackers threatened to kill him if police arrived.
Jose Luis Calderon mentioned the masked gunmen additionally positioned an improvised explosive in his jacket pocket throughout the terrifying ordeal at TC Television’s studios in Guayaquil on Tuesday evening.
The incident befell after one of many nation’s most infamous drug gang bosses escaped from jail, sparking Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa to declare a 60-day state of emergency.
In footage of the incident, which was broadcast reside on the TC community, Mr Calderon was seen making an attempt to plead with the masked gunmen, considered one of whom pushed a gun to his neck.
“They kept on repeating, ‘if the police come in, we’ll kill you’,” he instructed Sky News.
“It was a really chaotic moment, but in that instant, I kept my calm. You’ve seen the pictures, I’m calm, looking as if I’m praying, asking them not to go too far.
“There was no rationalization about what was occurring at that second.
“The news programme was on air and that’s why you were able to see the footage. You could see what was happening when they pointed a gun at me, they put an explosive in my jacket pocket.
“They had been actually unnerving moments, however on the similar time, I managed to remain calm.”
Mr Calderon mentioned he was not initially on air on the time the masked gunmen burst into the studio, and first turned conscious that there was a problem when he heard folks shouting.
He and two colleagues tried to cover in a close-by rest room.
“We were hidden in there for a few minutes,” he mentioned.
“We managed to speak to our relatives and warn the police about what was happening without knowing the exact details of what was going on and who was behind it.”
He mentioned the gunmen found the place they had been hiding and ordered them to come back out.
“We saw that they were hooded men, with big military-type guns, pistols, revolvers, there was even a machete,” he mentioned.
“They made threats constantly. My colleagues were touched inappropriately.
“They led us to the studio, which was nonetheless reside on air. When we arrived, simply metres away there have been colleagues, folks working for the channel who had been on the ground, very frightened, on their knees, and so they took us hostage.”
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Mr Calderon mentioned at one level a gunman shouted to say that they “had to kill one” of the hostages.
“People were very worried. In my case, I’ve been a journalist for 23 years, including in the field.
“I’ve lined occasions like this, and I’ve seen tragic occasions – however I’ve by no means been a part of one.”
Mr Calderon said the gunmen, who he described as a group of “armed youngsters”, wanted him to communicate a message on the television, but it was not clear what they wanted him to say.
He said when police arrived and began shooting, the group dispersed and were eventually captured by police.
“We’re grateful that we’re alive. This is completely unheard of, for this sort of thing to happen on TV, for someone to threaten us on our property,” Mr Calderon mentioned.
“The message that they wanted to send was just chaos. Here we are to impose ourselves above the law.”
Mr Calderon mentioned that regardless of the incident – which he described as a “terrorist attack” – the folks of Ecuador ought to hold “faith in the work” of the armed forces and police.
“There’s fear that another situation like this could happen. We’re hoping for action to be taken to guarantee our safety,” he mentioned.
“My life was at risk, as well as my colleagues. I’ve never seen a situation like this.
“But we should always place confidence in the work of the armed forces. The police and the armed forces are ready that permits them to take motion in opposition to any scenario.”
Following the incident, Ecuador’s attorney general’s office said 13 people had been arrested for breaking into the studio and were set to be charged with terrorism offences.
The charge holds a penalty of up to 13 years in prison under Ecuadorian law, if convicted.
National police commander Cesar Zapata instructed the TV channel Teleamazonas that officers seized a lot of weapons and explosives on the scene.
The incident befell a day after Mr Noboa, the son of considered one of Ecuador’s richest males, who took workplace in November promising to stem a wave of drug-related violence on the streets and in prisons, declared a state of emergency.
The declaration was made after drug lord, Adolfo Macias – also referred to as Fito – was reported lacking from his cell on Sunday.
The chief of the Los Choneros gang was serving a 34-year sentence in La Regional jail for drug trafficking and homicide.
His reported escape occurred on the identical day he was scheduled to be transferred to a most safety facility within the metropolis of Guayaquil.
Ecuador‘s prosecutors have filed expenses in opposition to two jail guards as a part of their investigation into the alleged escape.
Los Choneros is likely one of the gangs authorities think about chargeable for a spike in violence that reached new heights final 12 months with the assassination of the presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio.
Interview carried out by Andrew Connell, deputy overseas information editor.
Source: information.sky.com”