After hooded men took over the facilities of a television channel, some universities and hospitals, the Ecuadorian head of state made the decision to declare Ecuador in an internal armed conflict and communicated it on his X account.
Once the emergency decree, established in the last few hours by the president of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa, did not have the expected effect, but rather aggravated the crisis within the country, he was forced to sign yesterday, Tuesday, January 9, a new executive decree, declaring the country in “internal armed conflict”, this was communicated through his X account.
“I have signed the executive decree declaring Internal Armed Conflict and identified the following transnational organized crime groups as terrorist organizations and belligerent non-state actors: Águilas, ÁguilasKiller, Ak47, Caballeros Oscuros, ChoneKiller, Choneros, Covicheros, Cuartel de las Feas, Cubanos , Fatales, Gánster, Kater Piler, Lagartos, Latin Kings, Lobos, Los p.27, Los Tiburones, Mafia 18, Mafia Trébol, Patrones, R7, Tiguerones,” detailed the head of state.
Therefore, it has ordered the Ecuadorian Armed Forces to carry out military operations to neutralize these armed groups.
It should be noted that President Noboa made this decision after some of the members of these criminal groups, armed and wearing hoods, took over one of the country’s prisons and kidnapped seven of its police officers; two feared bosses will escape from prison, there will be attacks with explosives in the streets; entered a television channel during one of its live broadcasts and attacked hospitals, among other actions against the civilian population, such as entering universities in Guayaquil.
“These are extremely difficult days because (…) the important decision is to face these threats with terrorist characteristics head-on,” said the government’s Secretary of Communication, Roberto Izurieta, in an interview with the digital channel Visionarias.
However, the crisis began last Sunday, January 7, after Adolfo Macías, known as alias Fito, head of the criminal gang known as Los Choneros, escaped from prison, as well as yesterday, Tuesday, the Ecuadorian authorities reported the escape of Fabricio Colón Pico, another renowned drug leader, held for the crime of kidnapping and his alleged participation in a plan to kill the attorney general.
It worsened hours later, with the explosion against a police station and the home of the president of the National Court, along with the burning of some vehicles in the streets. So far, according to preliminary reports, no deaths, injuries or missing persons have been reported.
Noboa, 36 years old, is the youngest president of Ecuador and came to power with the promise of attacking drug groups with a strong hand, linked to Colombian and Mexican cartels, so now with his new measures, he must demonstrate his authority against these criminal groups.
