(ConservativeJournal.org) – A group of armed men broke into the studio of Ecuador’s TC Television network in the city of Guayaquil during a live broadcast amidst the chaos ongoing in the country. This incident followed a state of emergency declaration by the government after the apparent escape of a prominent gang leader from prison.
Masked individuals with visible weapons stormed the TC Television set, saying that they have explosives while intimidating the people on the set. The channel managed to broadcast live for around 15 minutes before the transmission was cut. Viewers witnessed scenes of employees taking cover on the floor, begging for their lives.
Prior to this, authorities had confirmed multiple attacks nationwide, including explosions and the abduction of police officers. Four officers were reported kidnapped, with their whereabouts unknown.
The motives behind these attacks remain unclear, and the government has refrained from attributing them to specific groups or indicating if they are part of a coordinated effort. Previous instances have seen the government linking such actions to major drug gangs, AKA cartels. Ecuador has grappled recently with a surge in violence tied to drug trafficking, including an increased number of murder and kidnapping.
The unrest follows the reported escape of Adolfo Macias, also known as “Fito,” the leader of the Los Choneros gang, from prison. He was scheduled for transfer to a maximum-security facility on the day of his disappearance. A national state of emergency has been declared by President Daniel Noboa for the next 90 days, granting authorities more powers to address the crisis, including military mobilization and the suspension of certain rights. A curfew has also been imposed. Los Choneros, who has ties to Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel, has been accused by the government of orchestrating the recent violence.
The government of Ecuador has not fully disclosed the full extent of the attacks across the country.
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