Ecuador declares ‘armed conflict’ after live TV attack
Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa has declared an “internal armed conflict” after gunmen burst on to the set of a live TV programme.
A show by TC Television, broadcast from the coastal city of Guayaquil on Tuesday, was interrupted by intruders who ordered staff at gunpoint to lie or sit on the floor, as shots and yelling were heard.
The masked gunmen accosted staff on the live feed, which eventually ran out.
Police said on X that staff had been evacuated and suspects arrested after special units were sent to the studio.
The University of Guayaquil announced the suspension of lessons after videos on social media showed people running for safety.
On Monday, Mr Noboa had declared a state of emergency after several explosions and the kidnappings of at least seven police officers.
Mr Noboa – the son of one of the country’s richest men – took office in November.
He promised to stem a wave of drug trade-related violence on the streets and in the country’s prisons.
He declared a 60-day state of emergency – a tool used by his predecessor to little success – enabling military patrols, including in prisons, and setting a national night curfew.
This was a response to the apparent escape of Adolfo Macias, leader of the Los Choneros criminal gang, from the prison where he was serving a 34-year sentence.
In an updated decree published on Tuesday, Mr Noboa said he recognised an “internal armed conflict” and identified several criminal gangs as terrorist groups, including Los Choneros. The decree ordered the armed forces to neutralise the groups.
Police reported explosions in the provinces of Esmeraldas and Los Rios, while the mayor’s office in the city of Cuenca confirmed another. The attorney general’s office said it was investigating one in Guayaquil.
Blasts were also reported in the cities of Loja and Machala.
Authorities have not given a cause for any of the explosions and no one has claimed responsibility.