PanamaTimes

Tuesday, Jul 01, 2025

Ecuador Grapples with Violence as Streets Remain Desolate

Ecuador is experiencing a surge in violence, prompting a military presence on city streets following a day of disturbances.
Armed individuals interrupted a TV station in Guayaquil during a live broadcast and bombings occurred across the country. Inmates have taken over 130 prison staff hostage in five facilities.

The unrest began after gang leader Adolfo Macías Villamar of the Choneros gang disappeared from his cell, prompting a 60-day emergency declaration. President Daniel Noboa responded to this and other violent events by vowing to dismantle gangs, warning of an 'internal armed conflict'.

The violence has been linked to opposition against President Noboa's plan to construct a high-security prison for gang heads. The President also announced plans to deport foreign inmates, notably Colombians, to ease prison overcrowding.

According to Vice Minister Esteban Torres Cobo, this crackdown on criminal gangs might result in significant bloodshed, but it's necessary for Ecuador's future. The government remains firm in its refusal to negotiate with gang leaders.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres's spokesperson expressed concern over the worsening situation in Ecuador, while U.S. officials condemned the attacks and committed to assisting Ecuador's security.

Following the attacks, the streets of Guayaquil are virtually deserted, reminiscent of the quiet during the Covid-19 pandemic. Soldiers and tanks patrol cities, online schooling continues as schools close, and China has temporarily shuttered its Ecuadorian embassies.

In response to the violence, 70 arrests have been made, including related to the TV station siege. Businesses remain wary with security on high alert, and many employees are working from home.

Hostages include around 139 prison staff, while four police officers remain held captive. In other violent incidents, multiple individuals were killed or injured in Guayaquil, and bodies were discovered in a torched car.

Ecuador has faced violence and political unrest before, but not at the scale inducing panic like Tuesday's events. Even as people cautiously go about their necessities, the country has been shaken.

President Noboa, who won an election marked by the assassination of fellow candidate Fernando Villavicencio, faces a major challenge so early in his term. Nightly curfews have been imposed to address the violence, signifying the gravity of Fito's escape and the ensuing chaos.
Newsletter

Related Articles

PanamaTimes
0:00
0:00
Close
OpenAI Secures Multimillion-Dollar AI Contracts with Pentagon, India, and Grab
Brazilian Congress Rejects Lula's Proposed Tax Increase on Financial Transactions
Landslide in Bello, Colombia, Results in Multiple Casualties
Papa Johns pizza surge near the Pentagon tipped off social media before Trump's decisive Iran strike
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
Minnesota Lawmaker Melissa Hortman and Husband Killed in Targeted Attack; Senator John Hoffman and Wife Injured
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Sole Survivor of Air India Crash Recounts Escape
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
UK and EU Reach Agreement on Gibraltar's Schengen Integration
Israeli Finance Minister Imposes Banking Penalties on Palestinians
U.S. Inflation Rises to 2.4% in May Amid Trade Tensions
Trump's Policies Prompt Decline in Chinese Student Enrollment in U.S.
Global Oceans Near Record Temperatures as CO₂ Levels Climb
Trump Announces U.S.-China Trade Deal Covering Rare Earths
Smuggled U.S. Fuel Funds Mexican Cartels Amid Crackdown
Protests Erupt in Los Angeles with Symbolic Flag Burning
Trump Administration Issues New Travel Ban Targeting 12 Countries
Man Group Mandates Full-Time Office Return for Quantitative Analysts
JPMorgan Warns Analysts Against Accepting Future-Dated Job Offers
Builder.ai Faces Legal Scrutiny Amid Financial Misreporting Allegations
Japan Grapples with Rice Shortage Amid Soaring Prices
Goldman Sachs Reduces Risk Exposure Amid Market Volatility
HSBC Chairman Mark Tucker to Return to AIA as Non-Executive Chair
Israel Confirms Arming Gaza Clan to Counter Hamas Influence
Judge Blocks Trump's Ban on International Students at Harvard
Trump Proposes Travel Ban on 'Uncontrolled' Countries
Panama Port Owner Balances US-China Pressures
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Eurozone Inflation Falls Below ECB Target to 1.9%
Call for a New Chapter in Globalisation Emerges
Blackstone and Rivals Diverge on Private Equity Strategy
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Denmark Increases Retirement Age to 70, Setting a European Precedent
Netanyahu Accuses Western Leaders of 'Emboldening Hamas'
Escalating Trade Tensions and Market Reactions
OnlyFans Reportedly in Talks for $8 Billion Sale
JBS Gains Shareholder Approval for U.S. Stock Listing
Booz Allen Hamilton to Cut 2,500 Jobs Amid Federal Spending Reductions
Trump Signs Executive Orders to Accelerate Nuclear Energy Development
Harvard Temporarily Blocks Trump Administration's International Student Ban
Nippon Steel Forms Partnership with U.S. Steel, Headquarters to Remain in Pittsburgh
Trump Expands Tariff Threats to Apple and Samsung Devices
Oracle and OpenAI Plan $40 Billion Nvidia Chip Purchase for AI Data Center
Trump Threatens 50% Tariff on EU Goods, Markets React
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Former FBI Director James Comey Questioned by Secret Service Over Social Media Post
Mexican Influencer Valeria Márquez Killed During Livestream in Suspected Femicide
×