A wave of violence is sweeping Ecuador. President Daniel Noboa has declared a state of emergency amid civil unrest and widespread chaos. In the port city of Guayaquil, the notorious gang leader nicknamed “Fito,” of The Choneros, escaped prison, inciting days of terror. He had been serving a 34-year sentence for murder, organized crime and drug trafficking.
Prison uprisings occurred nationwide, with inmates and gang members taking more than 130 prison guards and more than 12 staff members as hostages.
Masked gunmen stormed a television studio, ordering employees to lie down, resulting in chaos captured live on TV. After 15 minutes the signal cut out.
Officers with guns drawn rushed inside the studio, releasing the hostages and arresting the 13 gang members. Witnesses reported injuries, including a cameraman shot and another person with a broken arm.
Explosions and car fires erupted in several cities in the South American country. In several videos, armed men were seen roaming streets in what authorities called a “takeover.” At least 11 people died during the violence.
President Noboa attributed the attacks to the government’s measures against the gangs as officials vow to build new high-security prisons for gang leaders.
Noboa described the gangs as “terrorists” and ordered the military to “neutralize” them, emphasizing the need for decisive action.
“We are practically living in a state of war against terrorism,” he declared during a news conference, highlighting their involvement in drug trafficking, human trafficking and arms trading.
Elected in October with promises of restoring peace and regaining control of prisons, President Noboa is now facing a crisis early in his tenure. Counter-narcotics experts underlined Ecuador’s crucial role in the supply chain economics of cocaine, which is usually sourced in Colombia and Peru and travels through Ecuador before being funneled up through Mexico to the United States.
American officials condemned the attacks and expressed willingness to offer non-military support to Ecuador.
“We are monitoring the situation and willing to take concrete steps to improve cooperation with the government of Ecuador as they deal with the violence and its impact on the population,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said.
In fiscal year 2023, border agents encountered over 117,487 Ecuadorians at the U.S. southern Border, a significant increase from 24,936 in fiscal year 2022.
In October, the Biden administration introduced a new legal pathway to citizenship for Ecuadorians fleeing violence, allowing family reunification with consideration for parole on a case-by-case basis for up to three years.
