ON the afternoon of January 9th, a distressing event unfolded at the headquarters of TC Televisión in Guayaquil, Ecuador.
A group of armed men, their faces covered by hoods, stormed the premises, creating a scene of chaos and fear.
The masked gunmen, wielding rifles and grenades, forcibly instructed journalists to lie on the ground.
The harrowing cries and pleas of those present resonated as individuals desperately begged the assailants not to open fire.
The gravity of the situation prompted a swift response from law enforcement, as 30 minutes after the gang’s invasion, they entered the station and arrested 13 men.
In a precautionary measure, other media outlets in the vicinity were directed to close their doors, and employees were evacuated to ensure their safety.
Some of the freed hostages were seen hugging their loved ones and praying outside of the headquarters of the network.
This unsettling episode unfolded mere hours after President Daniel Noboa declared a 60-day state of emergency, citing the recent prison escape on January 7th of Jose Adolfo Macias, alias “Fito” the prominent leader of Ecuador’s largest gang, the Los Choneros.
A surge in violent incidents across the country accompanied the escape, and at least 10 people have been killed since the state of emergency took effect.
According to Noboa, an internal armed conflict now existed in Ecuador and he was mobilizing the military to carry out operations to neutralize what he described as transnational organized crime, terrorist organizations and belligerent non-state actors.
The government imposed a curfew as part of the emergency measures, and military presence intensified on the streets to restore order and security.
