In a chilling incident, armed men with bombs and grenades seized a studio shortly after gang members declared a ‘war’ against the president’s efforts to reclaim control from ‘narcoterrorists.’
The attackers, armed with rifles and grenades, stormed the TC television studio in the port city of Guayaquil, western Ecuador. A woman’s plea, “Don’t shoot, please don’t shoot,” was heard as the armed men ordered the terrified crew to the ground. Despite the chaos, the live broadcast continued for at least 15 minutes.
A TC employee expressed the fear, stating, “Please, they came in to kill us. God, don’t let this happen. The criminals are on air.” One of the hooded assailants reportedly declared, “We are on the air so that they know that we do not play with the mafia.”
After about 30 minutes of chaos, police officers were seen entering the studio, and Ecuador’s Police announced on X (formerly Twitter) that units had been deployed to the media facilities.
Ecuador has recently experienced a series of attacks, including explosions and the abduction of police officers, following the government’s imposition of a state of emergency. The security measures were initiated after the escape of Adolfo ‘Fito’ Macías, the leader of the Los Choneros gang, from a low-security prison. Four officers were reported kidnapped, with one in Quito and three in Quevedo city, remaining missing. The situation reflects the heightened tension in the country due to criminal activities and the government’s efforts to address the escalating challenges.
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