Ecuador's president says nation is 'at war' as drug cartels, gangs take over country

Ecuador President Daniel Noboa, who has been in office for just two months, said on Wednesday that the country is "at war" with drug gangs after chaos has erupted in the South American nation.

According to Reuters, drug gangs are holding more than 130 prison guards and other staff hostage, and have set off explosions. Video showed gunmen storming into a local TV station to attempt to have a message read on air as hosts and staff are held at gunpoint.

Seven police officers have been kidnapped and have not been released. Multiple series of explosions have been taking place and cars have been set on fire across the country.

Noboa declared a 60-day state of emergency Monday after notorious drug gang boss Aldofo Macias escaped from prison Sunday when he was set to be transferred to a smaller, more secure prison.

After the incident at the TV station, Noboa declared that there is an "internal armed conflict," in Ecuador and said he is mobilizing the military to neutralize "terrorist groups."

Officials have reported that over 3000 police officers have been mobilized to arrest Macias, however he has not been found as of yet. According to ABC News, a total of 10 people were killed and 29 buildings were attacked across Ecuador on Tuesday.

Admiral Jaime Vela Erazo, head of the Joint Command of the Armed Forces, confirmed in a press conference late Tuesday that the overwhelming chaos has been the work of organized criminal networks.

"But despite his brutal evil, this attempt will fail," he said, adding that the Ecuadorian government had no plans to "back down" and negotiate with the gangs.

Peru, Ecuador's neighboring country, has also declared a state of emergency and has its army, police, and intelligence officials monitoring the border.

The reason behind the violence spurred by a prison transfer, the BBC explains, is that Macias was content in the La Regional prison he was to be transferred from.

"Many of the prison wings housing Ecuador's most notorious gang members are controlled not by the state, the guards or the security forces, but by the inmates themselves," it reports. A music video recorded by Macias' daughter in September "shows him petting his fighting cockerel and also relaxing with fellow prisoners. His cell is spacious and decorated with garish murals and boasts its own shower cubicle."

While the initial violence was a response to this, it has escalated with the steps taken by the president to counter the chaos.

One of the kidnapped police officers was filmed being forced to read a warning to the president: "You declared war, you will get war ...

You declared a state of emergency. We declare police, civilians and soldiers to be the spoils of war."

The state of emergency he declared will allow soldiers to swarm prisons that have been compromised by gangs and restore order as well as assist police across the country. Police are able to search anyone in the streets for weapons as well as their homes if they suspect weapons are inside. 

Additionally, Noboa published a list of 22 gangs that will now be categorized as "terrorist organizations" and ordered his military to "neutralise" them.

Human Events contributor Raw Egg Nationalist warned on X that the videos shared from Ecuador could soon be a reality for Americans with the illegal immigrant crisis at the Mexican border.