(StraightShooterNews.com) – Highlighting the rising criminal rates across the world and in response to the escalating gang fights afflicting the country, Ecuador’s government has officially taken steps to classify the alarming situation as an “internal armed conflict.”
The declaration follows a surge in gang-related violence that recently hit a critical point, resulting in kidnappings, prison riots, and attacks with explosives that killed at least ten people, including two police officers.
The government’s decree identified more than 20 of the nation’s most dangerous criminal gangs as military targets and authorized the armed forces to carry out operations to neutralize them. The move aligns with a 60-day state of emergency and curfew announced earlier by President Daniel Noboa.
In a recent dramatic incident, armed individuals attacked the local news channel TC Television in Guayaquil, holding the channel’s staff hostage. Police managed to free the staff and caught 13 individuals who are now facing terrorism charges.
Addressed the nation, Commander of Ecuador’s Armed Forces Jaime Vela emphasized the military’s firm stance against terrorism and their commitment to the mission outlined by President Noboa in the decree. The president reiterated the government’s unwavering approach to combating the crisis, highlighting the need for a thorough strategy that includes the judiciary.
The National Assembly of Ecuador, representing various political parties, collectively endorsed the government’s crackdown on criminal gangs, promising pardons or amnesties to military and police personnel involved in these operations if needed.
Ecuador’s escalating gang violence has drawn regional attention, with neighboring countries expressing solidarity and offering assistance. Argentine Security Minister Patricia Bullrich termed the situation a “continental issue,” offering to dispatch security forces. Peru’s President Dina Boluarte declared a state of emergency along the Peruvian-Ecuadorian border, boosting security measures.
The situation in Ecuador has been deteriorating fast, with the country recording more than 8,000 violent deaths in 2023, a sharp rise from the previous year. The recent wave of gang violence was triggered after José Adolfo Macías, a notorious criminal, escaped from his prison cell, sparking riots and chaos in several prisons.
As of now, detailed information regarding the current state of Ecuador’s prisons and the broader implications of the government’s military response remains limited, awaiting further updates from official sources.
