The recent events in Ecuador, including the shocking studio attack on TC Television and the subsequent state of emergency, are part of a broader context of escalating violence and instability in the country.
The recent surge in violence began when police attempted to transfer Adolfo Macías Villamar, also known as “Fito,” a notorious gang leader from the Choneros gang, to a different, supposedly safer prison. Fito had been tipped off about the transfer and managed to escape from his cell before the move could take place.
The escape triggered riots in multiple prisons across the country, with prison guards being held hostage.
In response to the escalating violence and instability, President Daniel Noboa declared a 60-day state of emergency which grants him the authority to deploy the armed forces to restore order, including sending soldiers into prisons.
A nationwide curfew from 23:00-05:00 was imposed as part of the emergency measures.
President Noboa declared an “armed internal conflict” and ordered the armed forces to “neutralize” the gangs responsible for the violence. He labeled 22 gangs, including Los Choneros, as “terrorist organizations,” signaling a more aggressive stance against them.
There is no indication of negotiations with the gangs, and the government appears determined to confront the violence head-on.
The United States has also condemned the attacks in Ecuador and expressed readiness to assist the Ecuadorean government in dealing with the situation.
President Noboa, who took office just two months prior, faces a significant challenge in addressing the ongoing violence that has spilled from prisons into the streets of major cities.
