Ecuador vaulted to the global limelight on Tuesday following an surge of violence from different criminal organizations across the country. Images of face-covered gang members taking over a TV station broadcasting live, a national university and several prisons quickly made waves around the world, prompting questions about the extent of the danger.
President Daniel Noboa, who took office less than two months ago, declared an "internal armed conflict" only a day after announcing a state of emergency as a result of the escape of one of the country's main drug lords, illustrating escalating volatility. The latest measure allows Noboa to declare these groups as terrorist organizations and "non-state belligerent actors," mobilizing armed forces to neutralize them.
