Five "terrorists" killed, 329 arrested and 41 hostages freed. It is the first official report from the Ecuadorian Armed Forces on the operations carried out after the wave of violence unleashed by organized crime throughout the country. An overall gang action aimed at creating chaos.
President Daniel Noboa declared a state of emergency and "internal armed conflict".
Fifteen people died and numerous people were injured.
The images spread by TV and social media - including those of an assault by individuals with their faces covered on the TC Television channel in Guayaquil with journalists on their knees begging not to be killed and corpses abandoned in the streets - have shaken public opinion and are worrying now the international community. The USA, Spain and Italy showed their solidarity with Ecuador, as did Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru and Paraguay, while China closed its embassy and consulates.
The exceptional measures ordered by the government, with the deployment of soldiers in camouflage suits and armored vehicles on the streets, came after the escape from prison of the drug trafficker and leader of "Los Chineros", Adolfo Macías, alias Fito. They immediately provoked a violent reaction from criminal groups, with riots in prisons, hostage taking, armed attacks, fires, murders and kidnappings.
(Unioneonline/ss)
