The wave of violence in Ecuador continues to grow: at least 11 dead, 140 police and prison staff held by prisoners, countless armed attacks and at least 70 detainees. Given this panorama, President Daniel Noboa defined the situation as “a fight for peace against terrorist groups“.
When asked if it was a war, answered: “practically yes; “We are in an armed conflict, not an international one.”
Yesterday afternoon, after the attack by criminal organizations, linked to cartels in Mexico and Colombia, on a public television channel, the president also ordered the Armed Forces “to carry out military operations to neutralize” to these bands. Hours earlier, he had declared a state of emergency throughout the country for 60 days after the escape of Adolfo Maciasalias “Fito”, head of the country’s main criminal gang known as Los Choneros, who was held in a Guayaquil prison.
The streets of the entire country were almost empty: there were few cars and buses on the avenues of Guayaquil, the main focus of the crisis of violence unleashed by drug trafficking gangs on a warpath against the State, where Neighborhood businesses and schools were closed.
These new episodes of violence in Ecuador add to an adverse panorama and a growing problem surrounding drug trafficking: closed 2023 with more than 7,800 homicides and 220 tons of drugs seizednew records in the country of 17 million inhabitants.
Noboa came to the presidency with the promise of fighting drug trafficking and, based on his decree of “internal armed conflict” granted belligerent status to the gangs and him allowed the Government to take measures to confront them.
War against drug trafficking: Noboa warned that “lukewarm governments are over”
Ecuador is in Exception status given the existence of a internal armed conflict and an executive decree from Noboa provides to identify criminal groups as “terrorist organizations and belligerent non-state actors“with a wide mobilization of troops of the Armed Forcesof the Police and other security forces.
Noboa warned today that “lukewarm governments are over” in the country and admitted that we are experiencing “a very hard time.” The president, who took office a little over a month ago, said the wave of violence “is not an accident,” but rather arose when “the security plan was beginning to be applied.”
In that sense, he was also strict with “the judges and prosecutors who support these terrorist groups,” and in the same sense he addressed the members of the National Police and the Armed Forces “who hinder any operation.”
“Every terrorist group has become a military objective“said the also commander of the Armed Forces.
International concern about the situation in Ecuador
The United States, China, the European Union and practically all Latin American countries expressed solidarity with the Government of Daniel Noboa and with the Ecuadorian people in the face of this new wave of violence.
For their part, France, Mexico, Uruguay and Russia They warned their citizens not to travel to Ecuador. Peru declared its entire border with Ecuador under a state of emergencyand Colombia It also reinforced security in the border area.
Noboa and Foreign Minister Gabriela Sommerfeld met today behind closed doors with the ambassadors accredited to the country to give them a diagnosis of the situation.
“In the meeting with the diplomatic corps, the chancellor thanked the support received from the international communityexpressed the country’s unity for peace and democracy, and highlighted that the Government has the support of the citizens,” Foreign Affairs published on its X network account (formerly Twitter).
Source: Ambito
