The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
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By: BBC
Masked assailants forcibly entered a live television studio in Ecuador, threatening terrified staff who were compelled to the floor during a broadcast on the public television channel TC in Guayaquil.
The live feed was abruptly cut, and the attackers were later seen leaving the studio, reportedly with hostages. Police have made arrests. The incident occurred amid a 60-day state of emergency in Ecuador, triggered by the disappearance of notorious gangster Adolfo Macías Villamar, also known as Fito, from a prison in Guayaquil.
The surge in violence in Ecuador has been linked to drug cartel conflicts over control of cocaine routes. During the assault, a gunman aimed a pump-action shotgun at a captive’s head, while a woman pleaded for mercy. President Daniel Noboa declared an “internal armed conflict” and mobilized the armed forces to combat transnational organized crime.
The decree listed various gangs, including the Choneros, linked to recent jail riots and violence. The state of emergency imposes a nightly curfew, and security forces are working to restore order in prisons. Fito’s escape is a setback for President Noboa’s government, already marred by the assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio.
