The president of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa, declared on Tuesday a state of emergency in five coastal provinces, within the framework of the “internal conflict” declared in the Andean country, according to the decree.
The measure, which will last 60 days, will be applied in the provinces of El Oro, Guayas, Los Ríos, Manabí and Santa Elena, according to the decree signed by Noboa, who declared an internal armed conflict in the country in January.
The police and armed forces will be deployed in the five provinces due to the “need to carry out tactical combat operations against organized armed groups”added the document.
This is the second declaration of a state of emergency based on an increase in violence by Noboa, who took office in November with a promise to reverse a deteriorating security situation that has led to a rise in deaths and other crimes.
The decree also suspends the right to the inviolability of the home in the provinces where the measure will govern, in order to carry out inspections, raids and searches by the security forces.
The government blames the violence –including the dramatic January invasion of a television station and the mass taking of prison guards hostage. to drug trafficking gangs.
