The country of Ecuador in South America has suddenly erupted in violent chaos causing the country's President to Declare a State of Emergency, deploy army troops, and begin discussions for actual MARTIAL LAW.
The President of Ecuador declared the country in a state of internal armed conflict after hostages were taken in various cities and prisons.
Here's what we know so far:
Gunmen stormed the building of Ecuador's TC Televisión and took the anchors hostage live on the air. Ecuadorian police reported the arrest of the attackers and released a photo of them. There is no information yet on casualties or injuries in the operation. Masked armed bandits have entered the University of Guayaquil and are trying to take hostages. Most students and professors have fled the building, but some have barricaded themselves inside. Earlier during Sunday's search of the Guayaquil prison, authorities failed to find inmate José Adolfo Macías Villamar, knows as "Fito," the leader of the country's largest gang, Los Choneros, described as the most dangerous criminal in the country. The leader of Ecuador's Los Lobos crime group, Fabricio Colón Pico, also escaped from prison in the city of Riobamba. The Presidential decree, issued against the backdrop of hostage-taking riots in various cities and prisons, lists more than 20 local and international gangs, the largest of which include tens of thousands of people.
Ecuador's President, Daniel Noboa, has declared a state of emergency in the country, which will last for 60 days, following the escape of Jose Adolfo Macías, leader of Los Choneros, one of the main criminal organizations in the country, and a series of uprisings in at least six prisons involving the retention of prison guards and the burning of mattresses.
The state of emergency suspends rights to freedom of association, inviolability of domicile, inviolability of correspondence in prisons, and freedom of movement between 11 PM and 5 AM. Additionally, it allows the country's Armed Forces, in support of the police, to control prisons, as they have done on previous occasions.
Noboa stated that the measure aims to provide full political and legal support to Ecuador's security forces in confronting the "narco-terrorist groups that seek to intimidate the government and society." He mentioned that he will not "negotiate with terrorists" and will work to "restore peace to all Ecuadorians."
Noboa blamed factions linked to drug trafficking, contract killings, and organized crime for the prison crisis that has been occurring in the country for some years.
He claimed that some previous governments received orders from these factions on what to do. The action taken this Monday by his government aims to regain control of Ecuadorian prisons.
Armed individuals took TV channel "TC" Televisión's hosts hostage live on air. On LIVE BROADCAST TV six masked men can be seen directing weapons at employees of the television channel who are lying on the floor.
PERU ACTIVATES SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES
Peruvian Netizens and local medias report a massive influx from migrants moving out of Ecuador towards Peruvian border following today's nationwide clashes between Cartels and Ecuadorian Army!
Peruvian Minister of the Interior, Víctor Torres Falcón, has ordered the immediate dispatch of a contingent from the Special Operations Directorate (Diroes) of the Peruvian Police to reinforce security on the border with Ecuador.
