Ecuador's President Daniel Novoa on Monday issued a 60-day exemption and lockdown across the country in response to a new wave of gang violence that erupted after the disappearance of Ecuador's “most wanted man,” Jose Adolfo Macias. declared a ban.
What about Macias? Had disappeared He was released from prison in Guayaquil over the weekend.
Macias, also known as “Fito'', Los Chonerosone of the most dangerous gangs in Ecuador and widespread tie to drug cartels in Mexico and Colombia. Macias had been serving a 34-year sentence since 2011 on charges of organized crime, drug trafficking and murder.
Macias went missing from his cell just before he was scheduled to be transferred to a maximum-security prison on Sunday, automatically prompting 3,000 law enforcement officers to search for Macias throughout the Guayaquil regional prison. .local government announced On Monday, they said they did not know Macias' current whereabouts.
Sunday's incident marks the second time Macias has escaped from prison. In February 2013, the gang leader temporarily ran away He remained in captivity until local authorities arrested him again three months later.
Macias' disappearance sparked riots in several prisons in Ecuador.argentina news agency infobae report The department announced Monday that it had reviewed and confirmed footage of prison staff being overpowered by inmates and forced to give Novoa a statement that prompted a broader security reconsideration. countermeasure He announced in the new year.
A video circulating on social media shows a masked inmate pointing a gun at prison security staff and threatening to kill them. The inmates claim they are the “real mafia”, unlike El Salvador's “stupid gangs”.
urgent! !
Support Amenazan to strengthen political and military activities, as well as President Daniel Novoa.
We know that Ecuador is not El Salvador, it is Pandira Cojudas and it is the Mafia. pic.twitter.com/da6Qx3ic5l— Emergencias Ec (@EmergenciasEc) January 9, 2024
| LO ÚLTIMO: Ecuadorian President Daniel Novoa, 11th-hour prison sentence, resumes surveillance of armed groups, pistols and armed groups. pic.twitter.com/rBy1j4C4Eq
— UHN Plus (@UHN_Plus) January 9, 2024
Violent gangs once flourished in El Salvador, but they have largely subsided under President Nayib Boucle. President Boucle made eradicating organized crime a priority during his first term. Mr. Noboa named Mr. Bukele in the first week of this year when he announced plans to build a vast prison facility for gang leaders in the country.
On Thursday, November 23, 2023, Ecuador's next president, Daniel Novoa, arrives with his wife Lavinia Valbonesi and their two children at the National Assembly to be sworn in as the new president in Quito, Ecuador. (Carlos Noriega/AP)
In response to Macias' disappearance and the riots among prison inmates, Novoa declared a national state of emergency for all of Ecuador on Monday night.
Novoa, who took office in November, published a short video on his Instagram account announcing that the state of emergency would allow Ecuador's police and military to intervene and take control of the prison. In his short video, Noboa stressed that the government “has no intention of negotiating with terrorists and will not rest until we restore peace to Ecuadorians.”
“I have just signed a state of emergency to ensure that the military has all the political and legal support for its actions. This is everyone's fight, so I ask for your support as well.” said Novoa.
“These narco-terrorist groups are trying to intimidate us and believe that we will yield to their demands. “We have taken action,” he continued.
Declaration of emergency impose A six-hour curfew from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. daily, with restrictions on freedom of movement and assembly, as well as certain exceptions issued for purposes such as accessing health care, carrying out law enforcement operations, and emergencies. Introduce the ordinance. services and the freedom of government, media, and diplomats stationed in the country.
Domestic criminal organization answered Opposition to this decree resulted in a wave of violence, including reported kidnappings of police officers, arson of vehicles, and detonation of explosives.
Another apparent hostage video circulating on social media shows a police officer being held at gunpoint. The officer implored President Noboa to “cease” security measures. Gunshots can be heard at the end of the video.
#terrible
Polisa the Apuntado con Armas of Fuego!
Alberto Gomez, official @PoliciaEcuadorse encuentra sequestrado y pide a noboa ayuda para que no lo maten. pic.twitter.com/1VwN841nzW— Zoom EC (@ZoomEcuador) January 9, 2024
Local media reported a new case of police kidnapping in the city of Quevedo early Tuesday. After kidnapping the policemen, the criminals succeeded in blowing up a police vehicle.
| URGENT: Please ensure police safety in Quevedo, Ecuador. pic.twitter.com/Sq7NoAuEuY
— UHN Plus (@UHN_Plus) January 9, 2024
Ecuador's Armed Forces released a series of videos late Monday night showing that Joint Task Force operations have begun patrols in areas “of high social conflict.”
#Esmeraldas@FFAAECUADOR The Battle of Esmeraldas, military operations in arms control, military explosions in the Special Region of Seguridad, intensification of military operations in social conflicts.#FFAAContigo pic.twitter.com/acvs9yQlFq
— FFAAECUADOR.. (@FFAAECUADOR) January 9, 2024
Ecuador has faced an increase in uncontrollable violence in recent years.The nation is declared By 2023, it will be the most violent country in Latin America, with a violent death rate of over 40 per 100,000 inhabitants.
Novoa ran a successful presidential bid last year. outsider The candidates aim to implement a broader “Phoenix Plan.” list Safety measures to reduce rampant crime in Ecuador. The Phoenix Plan includes the construction of two mega-prisons inspired by the one Bukele built in El Salvador in 2023.
In 2023, Ecuador experienced the assassination of several politicians, including anti-socialist, anti-China journalist and presidential hopeful Fernando Villavicencio. Villavicencio was assassinated in August while returning from an election rally.
Last year, conservative former president Guillermo Lasso declared A similar state of emergency was imposed in July, resulting in a new wave of violent crime that left several people dead, including: Manta's mayor, Agustín Intriago, was killed while inspecting a sewage system in one of Manta's districts.
Christian K. Caruso is a Venezuelan writer who chronicles life under socialism. You can follow him on Twitter here.
