Masked Men Storm Ecuadorian TV Station with Guns and Explosives

A dramatic and chaotic scene unfolded on live television in Ecuador as masked men armed with guns and what appeared to be dynamite stormed the set of the TC Television network in the city of Guayaquil. The sudden and unexpected interruption forced the country’s president, Daniel Noboa, to declare a national state of emergency and issue a decree declaring Ecuador in an “internal armed conflict.” The president also designated 20 drug trafficking gangs operating in the country as terrorist groups, authorizing the military to “neutralize” them within the bounds of international humanitarian law.

According to Alina Manrique, the head of news for TC Television, she was in the control room when the masked men entered the building. One of the assailants pointed a gun at her head and told her to get on the floor. Some of the attackers attempted to flee the studio and hide elsewhere in the building, but were later surrounded by police. The motive behind the attack is unclear, but it is thought to be linked to the recent escape of a powerful gang leader, Adolfo Macias, alias “Fito”, from a low-security prison on Sunday.

Ecuador has been plagued by a surge of violence tied to drug trafficking, including homicides and kidnappings, in recent years. The country’s authorities have previously blamed members of the main drug gangs for similar attacks. Macias, a convicted drug trafficker and murderer, had been serving a 34-year sentence in La Regional prison in Guayaquil before his disappearance from his cell.

In response to the attack, the Ecuadorian government has imposed a curfew from 11pm to 5am and deployed the military to quell the violence. President Noboa has stated that he will not rest until he “brings back peace to all Ecuadorians” and has vowed to confront crime. The government has also arrested 13 individuals in connection with the attack, including the masked men who stormed the TV station.

As the situation continues to unfold, Ecuador’s national police chief, Cesar Zapata, has described the attack as a “terrorist act” and authorities have made it clear that they will take all necessary steps to bring the perpetrators to justice. With the country in a state of emergency, it remains uncertain how long the violence will continue and what measures will be taken to restore calm to the streets.