Ecuador is in turmoil. A commando of hooded and heavily armed men entered the set of a live television broadcast and opened fire, forcing the staff face down before the feed was cut off. It all started at around 14.40 on Tuesday, January 9, when an armed group entered the studios of TC Television in the eastern city of Guayaquil. Before police intervened, one of the hooded men said, “We’re live so we know we’re not involved with the mafia.” Some journalists managed to raise the alarm on social media, and about half an hour after the attack began, the police intervened, evacuated the building and arrested the attackers. Meanwhile, Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa urgently convened the State Council of Public Security to “analyze the situation in the country,” reported Roberto Izurieta Canova, secretary general of communications.
The attack took place after President Daniel Noboa imposed a curfew and declared a 60-day state of emergency yesterday, after “Fito”, the leader of the Choneros, one of the drug trafficking gangs, escaped from Guayquil prison. It dragged the country into an atmosphere of serious insecurity and a spiral of crime-based violence. Following the attack on the television centre, Noboa signed an executive order declaring “the existence of an internal armed conflict”. A large number of criminal gangs were included in the list of “terrorist organizations”. The decree orders the Armed Forces to “conduct military operations” in accordance with international law and human rights with the aim of “neutralizing” armed groups. The text mentions organizations such as the Los Aguilas criminal gang, the Los Lobos gang, the infamous Latin Kings, the Los Tiburones criminal gang, and the Los Choneros drug trafficking cartel, among others.
Local police chief Cesar Zapata announced the arrest of the commando members: “The police operation inside @tctelevision led to the arrest of 13 people and the seizure of weapons, explosives and other evidence. The hostages were released and the workers were released. They will now be taken to safety. The perpetrators of the attack, due to terrorist acts “He will be brought to justice to be punished.” The United States, through a US State Department spokesperson, offered support to Ecuador to deal with the wave of violence in the country: “We are in close coordination with President Noboa and the Ecuadorian government and stand ready to provide assistance. Joe Biden himself discussed the situation of violence, kidnappings and a series of explosions in Ecuador and “We follow the reports closely. We condemn these brazen attacks.”
Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
