Ecuadorian security forces have arrested 329 suspects in the fight against criminal gangs. Firearms, ammunition, explosives, incendiary devices, boats and vehicles were also seized in operations across the country, said Chief of General Staff Jaime Vela on Wednesday. In addition, soldiers and police rescued 41 hostages from gang violence. Five suspected gang members were killed by security forces.
The day before, President Daniel Noboa had declared 22 criminal groups by decree as terrorist organizations and non-state war parties that must be eliminated. “All of these groups are now military targets,” said military chief Vela. Ecuador is in an internal armed conflict in the fight against organized crime, the decree continued.
The security situation in Ecuador had recently deteriorated dramatically
In an unprecedented show of force, gunmen entered the premises of state television station TC Televisión in the port city of Guayaquil during a live broadcast on Tuesday and took several journalists and employees hostage. Gunshots and people screaming could be heard in the recordings.
The security situation in Ecuador had recently deteriorated dramatically. The murder rate of around 46.5 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants last year was the highest in the history of the once peaceful Andean country and one of the highest in Latin America. Multiple gangs with ties to powerful Mexican cartels are fighting for control of drug trafficking routes. Ecuador is an important transit country for cocaine from South America that is smuggled to the United States and Europe.