Ecuador Imposes a State of Emergency in Two Provinces

Following a series of attacks in which five police officers died, a state of emergency and curfews have been imposed in two provinces of Ecuador. The attacks by more powerful drug gangs, according to President Guillermo Lasso, are a declaration of war. After the government implemented stricter measures to limit their control within jails, they promised to react. Gang violence in jails has claimed the lives of over 400 people since 2020. According to officials, nine separate attacks were carried out on Tuesday in the coastal provinces of Guayas and Esmeraldas, reportedly in retaliation for the transfer of criminals from dangerous and overcrowded facilities. Furthermore, police in Guayaquil, Ecuador, reported six explosions, and an attack on a patrol car in the suburbs resulting in the deaths of two police officers. [caption id="attachment_58316" align="aligncenter" width="1600"] image credit: trtworld[/caption] Later in the day, they added, three more people were shot and killed throughout the city and its environs. In addition, in the province of Esmeraldas, where seven prison guards were held hostage by convicts, three explosions were recorded. Negotiations resulted in their release later on, according to officials. More details President Lasso imposed emergency measures, which limited the freedom of assembly and movement, in the two states for 45 days. Similar actions were taken in a number of provinces both in April of last year and this year. [caption id="attachment_58318" align="aligncenter" width="1600"] image credit: nationworldnews[/caption] Moreover, recent years have seen a major increase in violence in Ecuador, which included decapitations and jail riots reminiscent of scenes once associated with Mexico. Additionally, this is said to be the result of Mexican cartels enlisting neighborhood gangs to carry cocaine. Nearly a month ago, fights between convicts in Latacunga, one of Ecuador's largest prisons, left at least 15 detainees dead. Prisoners allegedly engaged in knife and gun combat before security was able to retake control of the institution near Quito, the country's capital. On another note, the underfunded and overcrowded prison system is under severe strain as a result of gang turf conflicts over rich cocaine networks. More than 120 prisoners lost their lives in the bloodiest prison brawl, which occurred in the coastal city of Guayaquil in September of last year. Lastly, the police in Ecuador captured a record 190 tonnes of drugs, principally cocaine, last year.