Ecuador in State of Emergency as Gang Violence Escalates

Masked Gunmen Storm Live TV Broadcast Amid Series of Coordinated Attacks Following Prison Escape of Feared Gang Leader

Masked gunmen stormed a live news broadcast on an Ecuadorian TV channel, interrupting the program and holding employees at gunpoint. The broadcast continued for at least 15 minutes before the signal was cut off.
The attack was part of a series of coordinated attacks by members of Ecuadorian gangs, which have resulted in at least 10 deaths. These attacks follow the escape from prison of the country's most feared gang leader, Adolfo Macías.
Ecuador's new president, Daniel Noboa, declared a state of emergency in response to the escalating violence. The gangs have responded with a declaration of war on the country's democratic institutions.
The violence in Ecuador has been escalating in recent years, with a significant increase in gang-related violence. The murder rate in the country has jumped almost 500% since 2016.
The recent surge in violence began with a massacre inside the country's most violent prison in February 2021, which left at least 79 dead. Since then, there have been 18 clashes inside prisons, resulting in more than 450 deaths.