QUITO: Ecuador faced a string of violent incidents on Wednesday, including the on-air invasion of a TV station by gunmen, as President Daniel Noboa named 22 gangs as terrorist organisations and military targets.
Police arrested 13 gunmen who took over television station TC during a live broadcast, while elsewhere at least seven police officers were kidnapped and there were several explosions around the country.
Noboa, who took office in November promising to stem drug trade-related violence, declared a 60-day state of emergency on Monday in response to prison violence – including hostage-takings of guards by inmates – and the apparent escape of Los Choneros gang leader Adolfo Macias over the weekend.
In a revised decree on Tuesday, Noboa recognised an “internal armed conflict” and identified nearly two dozen gangs as terrorist groups, including Los Choneros.
The government has said the violence is a reaction to Noboa’s plan to build a new high security prison and transfer jailed gang leaders.
“Today’s events show that the actions and decisions taken by the national government are gravely affecting criminal structures, and as an answer they have created a wave of violence to frighten the populace,” Admiral Jaime Vela, head of the joint command of the armed forces, said after a security meeting with Noboa and other officials.
All the groups mentioned in Noboa’s decree are now military targets, Vela added.
Prison transfers of major leaders have historically led to violence. Hundreds of inmates have been killed in recent years.
The unrest in Ecuador led Peru’s government to declare an emergency along its border with Ecuador, while Brazil, Colombia and Chile expressed their support for the Ecuadorean government.
The take-over of TC’s studio in Guayaquil was broadcast live for about 20 minutes, as people wearing balaclavas and mostly dressed in black wielded guns and accosted staffers huddling on the floor.
Gunshots and yelling were heard on the live feed, and some of the invaders gestured at the camera. Someone could be heard yelling “no police”.
TC, which broadcasts nationally, shares a site with another public broadcaster, Gamavision, and several radio stations.
The attackers entered through Gamavision’s reception, assaulting staff there and leaving dynamite behind, TC news coordinator and reporter Leonardo Flores Moreno told Reuters earlier on Tuesday, when the operation to retake the site was still ongoing.
“We were in a meeting and they alerted us and we were able to hide,” said Flores.
Police said their operation resulted in the confiscation of explosives and guns, and police social media posts showed young men with their hands zip-tied behind their backs kneeling on the floor.
“All hostages were freed … the perpetrators will confront justice and be sentenced for terrorist acts,” the police said on X.
The channel was back on air for its evening news broadcast, with anchors saying the attorney general’s office was on site collecting evidence. Two employees were injured, the channel said.