Monday, May 20

Ecuador: Violence Surges After Drug Lord’s Prison Escape

Edited by Fathimathu Shana
Ecuador: Violence Surges After Drug Lord's Prison Escape (image@ PoliciaEcuador)

Daniel Noboa, Ecuadoran President, ordered military operation against the country’s powerful criminal groups after hooded gunmen stormed a television studio and threatened to execute security forces and civilians. The armed group forced the staff onto the ground, and a live broadcast continued. One of the TC television channel employees, where the commotion happened, said, “please they came into kill us. God, don’t let this happen. The criminals are on air”, as quoted by AFP.

 

The South American country is facing severe security crisis after a state of “internal armed conflict” declared, following a series of violence that surged after Jose Adolfo Macias, who is alleged to be one of the country’s most influential criminal bosses, also known as “Fito”, escaped from jail. At least 10 people were reported to be dead so far.

The gangsters also kidnapped police officers and carried out explosions in several cities, as a protest against a 60-day state of emergency and nighttime curfew declared by the President Noboa. The kidnapped police officers were forced to read a statement that warned a war against the government. The statement read, “you declare war, you will get war…you declare a state of emergency. We declare police, civilians and soldiers to be the spoils of war”. The statement alos said about executing anyone who was seen on the streets after 11:00 pm, spreading the threat to civilians and security forces.

Manhunt to capture the gangster Fito of Los Choneros gang, who was serving 34 years punishment for organized crime, drug trafficking, and murder. He was reported to escape hours before police arrived to conduct an inspection. At the same time, another “narco boss”, Fabricio Colon Pico of another gang, named Los Lobos, has also reported to escape from prison, making the situation even more complicated. He was arrested last Friday for allegedly plotting to assassinate Ecuador’s attorney general.

Ecuador is facing serious security threats as clashes between prisoners has escalated since last February resulting in the death of more than 460 deaths. Drug-related violence in the country has led to homicide of 7,800 people between 2018 and 2022, said NDTV.