Ecuador is living a real nightmare: police kidnappings, prison riots, attacks with explosives in the streets and two bosses escaped from prison. The drug trafficker appoints the newly elected president, Daniel Noboafacing his first crisis.
“These are extremely difficult days because (…) the important decision is to face these threats with terrorist characteristics frontally,” said the government’s Secretary of Communication, Roberto Izurietain an interview with the digital channel Visionarias.
Prison escapes, trigger of the crisis
The escape from a prison Adolfo Macías, alias “Fito”head of the main criminal gang known as The Chonerosthe crisis detonated last Sunday.
On Tuesday, authorities reported the escape of another drug leader, Fabricio Colón Picoone of the leaders of The Wolvesarrested on Friday for the crime of kidnapping and his alleged responsibility in a plan to assassinate the attorney general.
In addition, according to the authorities, seven police officers were kidnapped in Machala (southwest), Quito and in the Province of Los Ríos (southwest). There were also explosions against a police station, the home of the president of the National Court and vehicles set on fire. So far, there are no reports of deaths or injuries..
What is the state of exception about?
The state of emergency applies for 60 days throughout the country, including prisons. The measure includes a six-hour curfew, between 11 p.m. and 5 p.m. (04 and 10 GMT).
In an unverified video spread on social networks, three agents appear sitting on the floor. One of them is forced to read a message addressed to the president: “You declared war and you are going to have war (…) You declared a state of exception; we declared spoils of war to the police, civilians and military. Anyone found on the streets after eleven at night will be executed“.
Noboa36, is the youngest president of Ecuador and came to power with the promise of attack drug groups with a strong handlinked to Colombian and Mexican cartels.
The declaration of the state of emergency allows the Armed Forces to intervene in the prison systemin which the retention of an undetermined number of guards was recorded on Monday, without the body that administers it (SNAI) indicating whether they were released.
“We are not going to negotiate with terrorists nor will we rest until we return peace to the Ecuadorians”he warned Noboa in a video through his Instagram account. The ruler attributed the attack on the prisons as retaliation for his actions to “recover official control” of the prisons.
Noboa announced last week that he will build two maximum security prisons in the provinces of Pastaza (east) and Santa Elena (southwest), in the style of those established by the president of El Salvador. Nayib Bukele in his war against gangs.
The search for drug trafficker ”Fito” continues
Police and military have been searching since Sunday Fito, who was serving a 34-year sentence in the Guayaquil Regional Prison (southwest) for organized crime, drug trafficking and murder. The Choneros About twenty gangs are fighting over drug trafficking routes in a war that is bleeding the country dry.
The Prosecutor’s Office brought charges against two prison officials for their alleged responsibility in the escape of the 44-year-old criminal, who obtained the title of lawyer in prison.
Kidnappings and violence
The kidnappings of police officers added to violent acts on the coast Emeralds (northwest and near the border with Colombia), one of the Ecuadorian provinces controlled by mafias.
Several people threw an explosive device near a police station and two vehicles were burned in other places, leaving no victims.
In Quito The explosion of a car and the explosion of a device near a pedestrian bridge were also reported. Your mayor, Pabel Muñozasked the Executive “militarization” of strategic facilities in the face of the “unprecedented security crisis.
Located in the middle of Colombia and Peru, the world’s largest cocaine producers, Ecuador went from being an island of peace to a drug war fort. 2023 closed with more than 7,800 homicides and 220 tons of drugs seized, new records in the nation of 17 million inhabitants.
Since 2021, clashes between prisoners have left more than 460 dead. In addition, homicides on the streets between 2018 and 2023 grew by almost 800%, going from 6 to 46 per 100,000 inhabitants.
Source: Ambito
