Ecuadorian police apprehended 68 individuals on Sunday as part of an ongoing battle between drug gangs and security forces in the country, who attempted to seize control of a hospital facility. The arrests took place after an attempted takeover of hospital facilities in Yaguachi Guayas, located in the southwest of the country. The police, through their X platform, confirmed the successful capture of “terrorists” who sought to take over the hospital.
Authorities believe the detainees intended to rescue an injured member of their gang who had been admitted to the hospital hours earlier. During the operations, police also discovered weapons and drugs in possession of those arrested.
Further investigations led to a raid on a medical center being used as a gang headquarters, in addition to uncovering a brothel where several gang members were hiding.
The Ecuadorian government has recently shut down hundreds of medical centers, described by officials as unfit to provide medical care and used by gangs as fronts for their criminal activities.
Ecuador has seen a recent surge in violence following the prison escape of drug lord “Vito” Adolfo Macias, also known as Adolfo Macias. In response, Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa declared a state of emergency and announced a “war” on gangs.
According to reports, there are about 20 criminal gangs in the country with approximately 20,000 members. Their activities, particularly drug trafficking to the United States and Europe, have expanded in recent years.
On the previous Wednesday, the public prosecutor Cesar Suarez, who was investigating an armed gang’s assault on a television station, was fatally shot in the coastal city of Guayaquil.
Media reports on Sunday indicated that Suarez was investigating members of “Vito’s” family, who were arrested in Argentina on Friday and extradited back to Ecuador.
Andean Nations Hold Emergency Meeting
Ministers from Andean nations convened an emergency meeting in Lima, Peru, on Sunday, to discuss the gang crisis and drug trafficking issues across borders. Andean nations, which include Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador, seek to take joint action against the spread of drug trafficking gangs amid escalating criminal activities that have led to heightened security along the border areas.
Peru’s President Dina Boluarte stated that transnational organized crime undermines democracy and destabilizes the internal order of all nations, necessitating cooperative efforts to combat this challenge.
Bolivia called for the meeting, while both Peru and Colombia emphasized the importance of strengthening border surveillance to prevent the infiltration of criminals fleeing crackdowns in Ecuador.
Ecuador, once considered a safe country, has in the past five years experienced a rising tide of violence due to economic stagnation and poverty arising from the COVID pandemic aftermath. In 2023, Ecuador’s crime rate escalated to 46 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants.
