Ecuador President Noboa declares state of emergency amid wave of violence
By Lauren Taylor (Reporter), Zachary Hill (Video Editor)
Media Landscape
See who else is reporting on this story and which side of the political spectrum they lean. To read other sources, click on the plus signs below. Learn more about this dataBias Distribution
Ecuador ‘at war’ with drug gangs, says president as violence continues
Click to see story on The GuardianOnce-peaceful Ecuador enters a new era: ‘We are in a state of war’
Click to see story on The Washington PostSoldiers patrol streets in Ecuador as government and cartels declare war on each other
Click to see story on CBS NewsEcuador’s president says the country is at war with ‘terrorist groups’. What’s causing the unrest?
Click to see story on ABC AustraliaEcuador president declares ‘war’ with criminal gangs
Click to see story on Al JazeeraSoldiers on the streets as Ecuador declares war on cartels
Click to see story on DawnThe president of Ecuador, a country under siege: ‘We are at war’
Click to see story on El PaisGangs storm TV station, declare war on Ecuador
Click to see story on Taipei TimesEcuador violence: President calls for neutralisation of criminal gangs
Click to see story on Channel 4Ecuador ‘at war’ with drug gangs holding more than 130 prison guards and staff hostage, says president Noboa
Click to see story on CTV NewsEcuador president says country is at war as gangs hold prison staff hostage
Click to see story on Hindustan TimesWhat’s going on in Ecuador? TV station attack prompts president to declare war on armed gangs
Click to see story on CNBCEcuador streets deserted as president declares ‘state of war’ on drug gangs
Click to see story on Sky News UKEcuador ‘in state of war’ against cartels, says president
Click to see story on Deutsche WelleEcuador in ‘state of war’ against cartels amid surge in violence, president says
Click to see story on France24Crisis Erupts In Ecuador Amid Nationwide Wave Of Gang Violence—What You Need To Know
Click to see story on ForbesEcuador’s president declares war with drug gangs as prison guards held hostage
Click to see story on Financial TimesEcuador president says country is at war with drug gangs
Click to see story on Independent.ieSoldiers on the street as Ecuador declares war on drug cartels
Click to see story on Malay MailEcuador’s president declares war on drug gangs amid wave of violence
Click to see story on Anadolu AjansıMore than a hundred guards held hostage in Ecuador, “state of war,” says president
Click to see story on Het Laatste NieuwsEcuador’s president declares war on gangs.
Click to see story on Dagens Nyheter.Ecuador is ‘in war’ with drug gangs, says president
Click to see story on NOSPresident affirms that Ecuador is at war with drug traffickers
Click to see story on reforma.comUntracked Bias
Ecuador’s president says the country is in a state of war
Click to see story on Glavcom.uaMore than a hundred guards held hostage in Ecuador: “We are at war,” says president
Click to see story on Het Belang van LimburgMore than a hundred guards held hostage in Ecuador: “We are at war,” says president
Click to see story on Het NieuwsbladEcuador este „în stare de război”, afirmă preşedintele Noboa
Click to see story on AdevarulEcuador declares war on gangs in wake of TV incident
Click to see story on The Zambian ObserverEcuadorian President: We are at war with drug cartels
Click to see story on siol.netGang war in Ecuador: “It’s going to be bloody”
Click to see story on TAZEcuador president says country is at war with drug gangs
Click to see story on Business TodayEcuador president says country is at war with drug gangs
Click to see story on The Economic TimesPresident of Ecuador reiterates that they are in a ‘state of war’
Click to see story on Portafolio.coPresident Ecuador verklaart oorlog aan drugsbendes
Click to see story on rd.nlNoboa says Ecuador “is at war” while gangs are holding prison guards hostage – La Tercera
Click to see story on La TerceraPresident of Ecuador says that country is ‘in a state of war’ against terrorists
Click to see story on Jovem Pan – Esportes, entretenimento, notícias e vídeos com credibilidadePresident of Ecuador: The country is at war with drug gangs
Click to see story on politika.rsEcuador: Drug gangs rebel, president says country is at war
Click to see story on baotintuc.vnEcuador battles drug gangs behind surge of violence
Click to see story on philenews.comSTA: Ecuadorian president declares war on drug cartels
Click to see story on sta.siECUADOR PRESIDENT: WE ARE AT WAR AGAINST DRUG GANG TERRORISM
Click to see story on israelhayom.co.ilEcuador president says country is at war as gangs hold prison staff hostage
Click to see story on FijiTimesA wave of violence is sweeping Ecuador. President Daniel Noboa has declared a state of emergency amid civil unrest and widespread chaos. In the port city of Guayaquil, the notorious gang leader nicknamed “Fito,” of The Choneros, escaped prison, inciting days of terror. He had been serving a 34-year sentence for murder, organized crime and drug trafficking.
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Prison uprisings occurred nationwide, with inmates and gang members taking more than 130 prison guards and more than 12 staff members as hostages.
Masked gunmen stormed a television studio, ordering employees to lie down, resulting in chaos captured live on TV. After 15 minutes the signal cut out.
Officers with guns drawn rushed inside the studio, releasing the hostages and arresting the 13 gang members. Witnesses reported injuries, including a cameraman shot and another person with a broken arm.
Explosions and car fires erupted in several cities in the South American country. In several videos, armed men were seen roaming streets in what authorities called a “takeover.” At least 11 people died during the violence.
President Noboa attributed the attacks to the government’s measures against the gangs as officials vow to build new high-security prisons for gang leaders.
Noboa described the gangs as “terrorists” and ordered the military to “neutralize” them, emphasizing the need for decisive action.
“We are practically living in a state of war against terrorism,” he declared during a news conference, highlighting their involvement in drug trafficking, human trafficking and arms trading.
Elected in October with promises of restoring peace and regaining control of prisons, President Noboa is now facing a crisis early in his tenure. Counter-narcotics experts underlined Ecuador’s crucial role in the supply chain economics of cocaine, which is usually sourced in Colombia and Peru and travels through Ecuador before being funneled up through Mexico to the United States.
American officials condemned the attacks and expressed willingness to offer non-military support to Ecuador.
“We are monitoring the situation and willing to take concrete steps to improve cooperation with the government of Ecuador as they deal with the violence and its impact on the population,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said.
In fiscal year 2023, border agents encountered over 117,487 Ecuadorians at the U.S. southern Border, a significant increase from 24,936 in fiscal year 2022.
In October, the Biden administration introduced a new legal pathway to citizenship for Ecuadorians fleeing violence, allowing family reunification with consideration for parole on a case-by-case basis for up to three years.
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[LAUREN TAYLOR]
A WAVE OF VIOLENCE…
CIVIL UNREST AND WIDESPREAD CHAOS IN ECUADOR – AS THE COUNTRY’S PRESIDENT – DANIEL NOBOA – DECLARES A STATE OF EMERGENCY.
DAYS OF TERROR IN THE PORT CITY OF GUAYAQUIL – AFTER REPORTS THAT THE LEADER OF NOTORIOUS GANG THE CHONEROS – nicknamed “FITO” – ESCAPED PRISON MONDAY.
HE WAS SERVING 34 YEARS FOR MURDER, ORGANIZED CRIME AND DRUG TRAFFICKING CHARGES.
VIOLENCE BROKE OUT AT PRISONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY THIS WEEK – AS PRISON INMATES, GANG MEMBERS – TOOK AT LEAST 130 PRISON GUARDS AND MORE THAN A DOZEN STAFFERS HOSTAGE – ACCORDING TO THE GOVERNMENT.
MASKED GUNMEN THEN STORMED A TELEVISION STUDIO – ORDERING TV STATION EMPLOYEES TO LIE DOWN. IN THE VIDEO – YOU CAN SEE THE GUNMEN POINTING THEIR GUNS AT THE CREW AND YOU CAN HEAR SCREAMS AND GUNSHOTS IN THE BACKGROUND.
ONE WITNESS SPOKE TO THE A-P AND SAID ONE OF THE GUNMEN SHOT A CAMERAMAN AND BROKE ANOTHER PERSON’S ARM.
THE ASSAULT WAS CAPTURED ON LIVE TV – AND WAS SEEN BY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AFTER 15 MINUTES – THE SIGNAL CUT OUT.
OFFICERS WITH GUNS DRAWN RUSHED INSIDE THE STUDIO – RELEASING THE HOSTAGES AND ARRESTING THE 13 GANG MEMBERS.
EXPLOSIONS AND CAR FIRES WERE REPORTED IN SEVERAL CITIES AND TOWNS IN THE SOUTH AMERICAN COUNTRY.
IN SEVERAL VIDEOS – YOU CAN SEE ARMED MEN ROAMING THE STREETS – AUTHORITIES CALLING IT A “TAKEOVER.”
AT LEAST 11 PEOPLE DIED.
PRESIDENT NOBOA SAID THE “ATTACKS WERE THE GANGS’ REACTIONS TO THE GOVERNMENT’S MOVES AGAINST THEM” – AS GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS PLAN TO BUILD NEW HIGH-SECURITY PRISONS FOR GANG LEADERS.
NOBOA CALLED THE GANG MEMBERS TERRORISTS AND ORDERED THE MILITARY TO “NEUTRALIZE” THEM — SOMETHING HE SAID THE NATION SHOULD HAVE DONE LONG AGO.
[DANIEL NOBOA / PRESIDENT OF ECUADOR]
“We are practically living in a state of war against terrorism. These are not organised crime groups, they are terrorists who are financed by drug trafficking, trafficking in people, organs and arms.”
[LAUREN TAYLOR]
PRESIDENT NOBOA WAS ELECTED IN OCTOBER ON THE PROMISE OF RESTORING PEACE, DECREASING VIOLENCE AND REGAINING CONTROL OF THE COUNTRY’S PRISONS.
COUNTER-NARCOTICS EXPERTS SAY – THE SMALL COUNTRY OF ECUADOR PLAYS A VITAL ROLE IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN ECONOMICS OF COCAINE – WHICH IS USUALLY SOURCED IN COLOMBIA AND PERU AND TRAVELS THROUGH ECUADOR – BEFORE BEING FUNNELED UP THROUGH MEXICO TO THE U-S.
AMERICAN OFFICIALS CONDEMNED THE ATTACKS AND WANT TO OFFERED NON-MILITARY SUPPORT FOR ECUADOR.
[JOHN KIRBY / NSC COORDINATOR FOR STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS]
“WE ARE MONITORING THE SITUATION. WE ARE WILLING TO TAKE CONCRETE STEPS TO IMPROVE OUR COOPERATION WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF ECUADOR AS THEY BEGIN TO DEAL WITH THE VIOLENCE AND THE STRESSORS ON THE POPULATION THAT THIS VIOLENCE HAS OCCURRED AND I’LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT.”
[LAUREN TAYLOR]
IN FISCAL YEAR 2023 – BORDER AGENTS ENCOUNTERED MORE THAN 117-THOUSAND ECUADORIANS AT THE US SOUTHERN BORDER – FIVE TIMES THE NUMBER (24,936 IN FY 2022) FROM THE YEAR PRIOR.
IN OCTOBER – THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCED A NEW LEGAL PATHWAY TO CITIZENSHIP FOR ECUADORIANS – FLEEING THEIR COUNTRY TO SEEK ASYLUM IN THE UNITED STATES.
THE FAMILY REUNIFICATION PROCESS WILL ALLOW ECUADORIANS TO BE “CONSIDERED FOR PAROLE ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS FOR A PERIOD OF UP TO THREE YEARS WHILE THEY WAIT TO APPLY TO BECOME A LAWFUL PERMANENT RESIDENT.
Media Landscape
See who else is reporting on this story and which side of the political spectrum they lean. To read other sources, click on the plus signs below. Learn more about this dataBias Distribution
Ecuador ‘at war’ with drug gangs, says president as violence continues
Click to see story on The GuardianOnce-peaceful Ecuador enters a new era: ‘We are in a state of war’
Click to see story on The Washington PostSoldiers patrol streets in Ecuador as government and cartels declare war on each other
Click to see story on CBS NewsEcuador’s president says the country is at war with ‘terrorist groups’. What’s causing the unrest?
Click to see story on ABC AustraliaEcuador president declares ‘war’ with criminal gangs
Click to see story on Al JazeeraSoldiers on the streets as Ecuador declares war on cartels
Click to see story on DawnThe president of Ecuador, a country under siege: ‘We are at war’
Click to see story on El PaisGangs storm TV station, declare war on Ecuador
Click to see story on Taipei TimesEcuador violence: President calls for neutralisation of criminal gangs
Click to see story on Channel 4Ecuador ‘at war’ with drug gangs holding more than 130 prison guards and staff hostage, says president Noboa
Click to see story on CTV NewsEcuador president says country is at war as gangs hold prison staff hostage
Click to see story on Hindustan TimesWhat’s going on in Ecuador? TV station attack prompts president to declare war on armed gangs
Click to see story on CNBCEcuador streets deserted as president declares ‘state of war’ on drug gangs
Click to see story on Sky News UKEcuador ‘in state of war’ against cartels, says president
Click to see story on Deutsche WelleEcuador in ‘state of war’ against cartels amid surge in violence, president says
Click to see story on France24Crisis Erupts In Ecuador Amid Nationwide Wave Of Gang Violence—What You Need To Know
Click to see story on ForbesEcuador’s president declares war with drug gangs as prison guards held hostage
Click to see story on Financial TimesEcuador president says country is at war with drug gangs
Click to see story on Independent.ieSoldiers on the street as Ecuador declares war on drug cartels
Click to see story on Malay MailEcuador’s president declares war on drug gangs amid wave of violence
Click to see story on Anadolu AjansıMore than a hundred guards held hostage in Ecuador, “state of war,” says president
Click to see story on Het Laatste NieuwsEcuador’s president declares war on gangs.
Click to see story on Dagens Nyheter.Ecuador is ‘in war’ with drug gangs, says president
Click to see story on NOSPresident affirms that Ecuador is at war with drug traffickers
Click to see story on reforma.comUntracked Bias
Ecuador’s president says the country is in a state of war
Click to see story on Glavcom.uaMore than a hundred guards held hostage in Ecuador: “We are at war,” says president
Click to see story on Het Belang van LimburgMore than a hundred guards held hostage in Ecuador: “We are at war,” says president
Click to see story on Het NieuwsbladEcuador este „în stare de război”, afirmă preşedintele Noboa
Click to see story on AdevarulEcuador declares war on gangs in wake of TV incident
Click to see story on The Zambian ObserverEcuadorian President: We are at war with drug cartels
Click to see story on siol.netGang war in Ecuador: “It’s going to be bloody”
Click to see story on TAZEcuador president says country is at war with drug gangs
Click to see story on Business TodayEcuador president says country is at war with drug gangs
Click to see story on The Economic TimesPresident of Ecuador reiterates that they are in a ‘state of war’
Click to see story on Portafolio.coPresident Ecuador verklaart oorlog aan drugsbendes
Click to see story on rd.nlNoboa says Ecuador “is at war” while gangs are holding prison guards hostage – La Tercera
Click to see story on La TerceraPresident of Ecuador says that country is ‘in a state of war’ against terrorists
Click to see story on Jovem Pan – Esportes, entretenimento, notícias e vídeos com credibilidadePresident of Ecuador: The country is at war with drug gangs
Click to see story on politika.rsEcuador: Drug gangs rebel, president says country is at war
Click to see story on baotintuc.vnEcuador battles drug gangs behind surge of violence
Click to see story on philenews.comSTA: Ecuadorian president declares war on drug cartels
Click to see story on sta.siECUADOR PRESIDENT: WE ARE AT WAR AGAINST DRUG GANG TERRORISM
Click to see story on israelhayom.co.ilEcuador president says country is at war as gangs hold prison staff hostage
Click to see story on FijiTimesStraight to your inbox.
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