Ecuador Declares Internal Armed Conflict Amid Escalating Gang Violence

President Noboa Calls for International Help as High-Profile Figures are Targeted and Killed

Ecuador is facing an escalation in gang violence, with President Daniel Noboa declaring a state of internal armed conflict and directing the military to pursue 22 criminal gangs he defined as terrorist organizations.
The violence is being fueled by gangs' push to find new drug trafficking routes to the United States and Europe, with Ecuador becoming the world's biggest exporter of cocaine.
High-profile figures, including a presidential candidate and prosecutors, have been targeted and killed, indicating the gangs' infiltration into the state system and their lack of fear in attacking state structures.
Ecuador's government has made 15,461 arrests, charging 158 individuals as terrorists and announcing that five gang members have been killed during the police raids.
President Noboa has called for international help, specifically from the United States, in combating the violence and crime, with senior U.S. officials set to visit Ecuador to explore ways the U.S. can assist.