AWFUL

Ecuador in State of Emergency After Explosive Attacks Kill 5+ Police Officers

President Guillermo Lasso called the drug gang attacks a declaration of war.

A state of emergency and curfews have been implemented in two Ecuador provinces after a series of attacks killed at least five police officers on Tuesday. President Guillermo Lasso said the attacks were an open declaration of war from drug gangs. The gangs had previously threatened to retaliate against government measures limiting their influence inside Ecuador’s violent and overcrowded prisons, where over 400 people have been killed since 2020. Officials said nine separate attacks were carried out in the provinces of Guayas and Esmeraldas, apparently in response to recent prisoner transfers. Six explosions went off in the western city of Guayaquil, while two police officers were killed during an attack on a patrol car. Three other officers were shot dead in the city later in the day, authorities said.