The President of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa declared that his country was “at war” after drug gangs took more than 130 prison guards and other staff hostage and briefly captured a TV station during a live broadcast.
“We are at war, and we cannot cede in the face of these terrorist groups,” Noboa told radio station Canela Radio on Wednesday.
Africa Today News, New York reports that following the weekend prison escape of Ecuador’s most prominent narco boss, Los Choneros gang leader Adolfo Macias, Noboa declared a state of emergency, which sparked an uptick in violence.
On Tuesday, following gunmen who entered and opened fire on a TV studio and threatened to execute people and security personnel, Noboa issued orders to “neutralise” criminal organisations.
Noboa on Tuesday released the names of 22 gangs as “terrorist” organisations, making them official military targets.
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The government said the violence is a reaction to Noboa’s plan to build new high-security prisons for gang leaders. Noboa said the design for two new facilities would be made public on Thursday.
“We are making every effort to recover all the hostages,” Noboa said, adding that the armed forces have taken over the rescue efforts.
“We are doing everything possible and the impossible to get them back safe and sound.”
Riots have erupted in several prisons where 125 guards and 14 administrative staff have been taken hostage, the SNAI prisons agency said.
Eleven people were released on Tuesday, it said.
In the port city of Guayaquil, attackers wearing balaclavas stormed a state-owned TV station on Tuesday, briefly taking several journalists and staff members hostage on live TV.
The attackers also kidnapped several police officers, one of whom was forced to read a statement to Noboa at gunpoint.