[UPDATE] Wave of Violence: Ecuador in Chaos After Gang Leader's Disappearance, TV Broadcast Raid

Ecuador is in a state of chaos following the prison disappearance of a notorious gang leader and the raid on a live TV broadcast by armed and hooded men.

The country's president, Daniel Noboa, declared an "internal armed conflict" and ordered the South American nation's forces to "neutralize" several criminal groups. These are those who are accused of spreading extreme violence across the country.

Wave of Violence in Ecuador

On Tuesday, local media outlets reported that armed individuals were seen at a hospital and a university in the city of Guayaquil. The country's people were shocked as they watched the takeover of the Guayaquil-based network's live broadcast.

The armed men were seen forcing the staff of TC Television onto the floor of the studio as gunshots could be heard while others started to yell out. As per CNN, video footage posted on social media platforms also showed the incident that occurred at the state-owned network.

The nation's police later said that they were able to arrest all of the armed men and members of the media outlet were said to have been evacuated. In a statement, a member of the police said that 13 people in total were detained during the incident. Law enforcement officials also described the development as an "act of terrorism."

Earlier, police posted pictures of multiple individuals faced down with their hands zip-tied behind their backs. Since Noboa declared a state of emergency across the country on Monday, explosions, police kidnappings, and prison disturbances have rocked Ecuador.

The decision was made after the disappearance of the leader of the Los Choneros gang, Jose Adolfo Macia, also known as "Fito." The state of emergency was set to last for 60 days, and curfews were imposed while the police and the armed forces were mobilized to control disturbances to public order.

The notorious gang leader was first reported missing from his prison cell in the Regional prison complex in the violent port city of Guayaquil on Sunday. Authorities later said that they have charged two prison officials who were allegedly involved in Macias' probable escape, according to the Financial Times.

Disappearance of Notorious Gang Leader

Officials have already dispatched roughly 3,000 police officers and soldiers to join the massive search to search for the dangerous criminal. Riots also followed Macias' disappearance in six jails while an unknown number of guards were taken hostage.

President Noboa said that they will not be negotiating with terrorists, adding that the narco-terrorist groups plan to intimidate them into giving in to their demands. When compared to its more violent neighbors, Ecuador used to be a relatively peaceful country.

Before his disappearance, Macias was serving a 34-year sentence that started in 2011 following his conviction on various charges, including drug trafficking, murder, and organized crime. But even behind bars, he remained a powerful figure for his gang.

Another notorious gang leader, Fabricio Colon, escaped Riobamba prison during the chaos on Monday night. The Ecuadorian prosecutor's office linked him to the assassination of Fernando Villavicencio, who was a presidential candidate murdered in August last year, said The Guardian.

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