Unrest appears to be in response to President Daniel Noboa\u2019s efforts to tackle cocaine trafficking
\nQUITO
\nEcuador\u2019s president has declared war on drugs gangs holding scores of prison guards hostage in a wave of violence that saw the storming of a TV station on-air and explosions around the nation.
\nThe unrest appears to be in response to President Daniel Noboa\u2019s efforts to tackle cocaine trafficking, in particular by putting gang leaders in new high-security prisons.
\n\u201cWe are at war and we cannot cede in the face of these terrorist groups,\u201d Noboa, the 36-year-old son of a banana baron who won the presidency in November, said on Wednesday.
\nHis government has declared a state of emergency, sent the military after 22 gangs named as terrorist organizations, and said about 20,000 criminals are involved.
\nSince Monday, gangs have kidnapped more than 130 prison guards and staff. That followed the apparent escape of notorious \u201cLos Choneros\u201d gang leader Adolfo Macias from prison.
\nWith unexplained blasts occurring in various cities, balaclava-clad gunmen with grenades and dynamite briefly took over the TC broadcaster in the Pacific Ocean port city Guayaquil on Tuesday during a news program, before police arrested them and freed the media staff.
\n\u201cIt was surreal,\u201d said journalist Jose Luis Calderon, 47, who at one point was obliged to appear on camera at gunpoint at the TV studio.
\nCalderon told Reuters that at first he hid in the bathroom with others, but they were found and forced into the studio by the assailants. When police gunshots were heard outside, some colleagues begged for their lives.
\n\u201cThe individuals shot their guns, I think in reaction to the police, and they shot a door and one of the bullets ricocheted and injured the leg of a cameraman,\u201d Calderon said.
\nHundreds of detentions
\nA colleague recounted how dozens of journalists cowered on the floor, some praying. \u201cI thought it was my last day on earth and I wouldn\u2019t see my children again,\u201d Alina Manrique said.
\nThe armed forces commander, Rear Admiral Jaime Vela, told a news conference late on Wednesday that 329 people, mostly from gangs including Los Choneros, Los Lobos and Los Tiguerones, have been detained since the state of emergency began this week.
\nIn response to videos purporting to show prison staff being subjected to extreme violence, including shooting and hanging, he said no hostage had been killed.
\nPrisons agency SNAI said 125 guards and 14 administrative staff remain hostages, with 11 people freed on Tuesday.
\nPolice said nine officers were kidnapped in recent days, with three still being held.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Unrest appears to be in response to President Daniel Noboa\u2019s efforts to tackle cocaine trafficking QUITO Ecuador\u2019s president has declared war on drugs gangs holding scores of prison guards hostage in a wave of violence that saw the storming of a TV station on-air and explosions around the nation. The unrest appears to be in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":380306,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-380280","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n