MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Ecuador's President promises to be tougher than previous administrations

Noboa also asked Petro to take care of the nearly 1,500 Colombian inmates in Ecuadorean jails

Ecuadorean President Daniel Noboa underlined Wednesday that “we are at war and I will not give in.” He made those remarks one day after multiple uprisings by drug trafficking groups particularly in Quito and Guayaquil resulted in at least 18 deaths and over 300 arrests, in addition to the people wounded, for which the head of state declared an “internal armed conflict” against terrorist organizations believed to be 20,000 strong.

The president also warned judges and prosecutors who give aid to these transnational mafias that “they will be prosecuted as part of the network that has become an enemy of the State” and thanked the help offered by countries such as Argentina, the United States, China, Israel, and Peru, among others.

In the meantime, some 139 corrections officers are being held hostage by inmates at the Cuenca, Azogues, Napo, Ambato, and Latacunga prisons. Noboa said authorities were “doing the possible and impossible to bring them back safe and sound, but we cannot stop a war because of that.”

“We are not going to give in to the stupidities they are used to do,” he went on while promising to be stricter than previous administrations. As per Noboa's instructions, the Armed Forces may “neutralize” the new adversary, with the National Police acting as a support division.

Noboa also asked his Colombian colleague Gustavo Petro to take care of the nearly 1,500 inmates from that country housed in Ecuadorean jails in a move to cut down prison overcrowding.

Communications Secretary Roberto Izurieta said that the “war report” of the day included 70 people arrested for alleged terrorist acts, including 18 hooded men who assaulted a TV station giving a bullet wound to a cameraman in his right leg in addition to hurting other workers at the broadcaster's headquarters.

Police Chief Víctor Herrera said that 2 of the 20 people involved in the attack believed to have been perpetrated by the gang Los Tiguerones are yet to be captured.

In addition, three police officers kidnapped by criminals were released, 17 prisoners were recaptured and explosives, cartridges, weapons, and vehicles were seized in operations carried out nationwide.

In the main cities, there was little vehicular traffic on Wednesday, with many stores closed.

Ecuador's Joint Command of the Armed Forces Chief Jaime Vela said Wednesday that on Tuesday a total of “329 terrorists” had been detained and five were killed. “We have arrested 329 terrorists, we have killed five terrorists,” said Vela. He also noted that no soldiers have been wounded or killed in the operations, although two policemen have been killed and one seriously wounded.

Vela also explained that according to the National Service to People Deprived of their Freedom (Servicio Nacional de Atención Integral a Personas Privadas de Libertad - SNAI), “there are no hostages who have been killed”, of the 139 still among guards and clerical staffers held in five prisons. The military commander also asked Ecuadorians to “have patience, hope, faith in their Armed Forces and Police” who have deployed their best capabilities to stop the wave of violent actions by organized crime groups. He then explained that an “elite group” had been put together to search for Jose Adolfo Macias, alias Fito, the fugitive leader of the Los Choneros gang. Ecuadorean authorities are offering a reward for help leading to Fito's capture, although the amount was not specified. Fito was serving a 34-year sentence for murder and drug trafficking since 2011 when he escaped earlier this week.

Ecuador closed the year 2023 with 7,200 violent deaths, which is tantamount to 45 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants, making it the most violent country in Latin America, according to the Ecuadorian Observatory of Organized Crime. According to InSight Crime, Los Choneros have links to Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel.