Ecuador: criminals set fire to three vehicles after announcing a state of emergency

Three vehicles were set on fire this Monday in the coastal province of Esmeraldas and the Andean province of Pichincha, on a day when a state of emergency was declared, with a curfew, following incidents recorded in around six prisons in Ecuador. During Monday night, several attacks were reported in different parts of the country, following the announcement of a state of emergency by the Government of Daniel Noboa, reported Ecuavisa television.

One of the vehicles was incinerated in the city of Emeralds at around 6:30 pm local time (11:30 pm GMT) at a gas station in the south of the city.

LOOK: Alias ​​​​Fito, Ecuador’s most dangerous criminal boss, escaped from prison

“The criminals threw an explosive at a vehicle carrying gasoline. “Their flames could be put out,” he explained.

He added that the other incident occurred on the road to Tonsupa Beachbut further details of the event are unknown.

Additionally, anti-social groups threw an explosive device near the Esmeraldas Subzonal Commandno injuries or material damage were reported.

#EcuadorUnderAttack
In the last few hours:
Attacks were recorded in Guayaquil, El Guabo, Loja, Azogues, Cuenca, Quito, Riobamba, Esmeraldas, El Empalme, Puerto Bolívar.
In addition to the escape of several prisoners from Riobamba prison pic.twitter.com/6pfE7vz65F

– We News (@wenewsec) January 9, 2024

On the other hand, the Police reported that, in the south of Quitoin Saint Louis of Chilogalloa burned vehicle was searched, “two gas cylinders were found inside”.

LOOK: Ecuador goes into curfew for six hours with President Noboa’s state of emergency

“There are no victims, only material damage,” he added.

kidnapped agents

The Police reported that, during the night of this Monday, in the Community Police Unit (UPC) “Wilson Franco” in the city of Machala (south), the kidnapping of three police officerswho were on duty at the scene.

Likewise, in Quitocapital of the province of Pichinchaa police officer was kidnapped in UPC Llano 1by three “anti-social people who were driving a darkened vehicle without a license plate”, indicated the Police on their X account (formerly Twitter).

Exception Status

Noboa declared a state of emergency this Monday, the first since he began his mandate on November 23after a series of protests in at least six prisons across the country, which involved the retention of prison guards and the burning of mattresses.

During the day several went viral videos in which people dressed in prison guard uniforms were seen being subdued by supposed prisoners, covered their faces, prisons.

One of the people dressed as a prison guard read a statement in each video in which Noboa was asked to take care of the lives of the kidnapped public servants.

The institution responsible for prisons did not specify the number of prison officers detained.

Noboa hopes that the state of emergency will allow the Armed Forces to act, in support of the Police, in controlling prisons.

“What we experienced (this Monday in prisons) is an example that things must change in the country and that the laws we have are not enough to live in peace”, noted Noboa, who proposed going to a popular consultation on issues related to security, justice and employment.

Noboa blamed drug trafficking gangs and organized crime for being behind the prison crisis which have been installed in the country for some years.

He President considered that Monday’s riots were the result of his Government’s determined action to regain control of prisons.

“We will not negotiate with terrorists” and the Government will work to return “peace to all Ecuadorians”, he stressed.

The incidents coincided with José’s search efforts Adolfo Macías Salazar, also known as ‘Fito’, leader of a gang known as Los Chonerosconsidered one of the most dangerous in the country, with alleged links to Mexican cartels and who apparently escaped from a prison in the province of Guayas.

The Presidency’s Secretary-General for Communication, Roberto Izurieta, stated this Monday that, with This Monday, around 3,000 police and soldiers continued the search operation inside the prison where ‘Fito’ was being held.whom he described as a “criminal with extremely dangerous characteristics, with activities that have characteristics of terrorism”.

Source: Elcomercio

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I am Jack Morton and I work in 24 News Recorder. I mostly cover world news and I have also authored 24 news recorder. I find this work highly interesting and it allows me to keep up with current events happening around the world.