Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa said Tuesday his country is in the grip of “internal armed conflict” amid growing violence across the South American country
The president made the declaration hours after a group of masked men armed with guns and explosives stormed a public television station in the port city of Guayaquil during a live news program and fired shots in the studio.
Police later seized control of the station and arrested 13 suspected gunmen and charged them with terrorism. No one was hurt in the incident.
The crisis began over the weekend with the apparent escape of Adolfo Macias, the leader of the notorious drug gang Los Choneros.
Several police officers have been abducted and numerous bombs have been detonated across Ecuador.
