Ecuadorian Security Forces Hold 1,327 People And Confiscate 500 Firearms Related To Last Week's Riots

Ecuadorian soldiers managed to secure the prison that had been hit by the riots. (Twitter/@EjercitoECU)

JAKARTA - Ecuador's armed forces and police have detained a total of 1,327 street riot participants sparked by riots in the country's prisons last week, President Daniel Noboa's Administration said in a statement.

"From January 9 to January 14, 2024, the army detained 1,327 people, 143 of whom were on terrorism charges. Five terrorists killed, 11 police officers (be held hostage) were released, while two police officers were killed while on duty," the Ecuadorian Government tweeted on social media X, as reported by TASS January 15.

Furthermore, he said, Ecuador's joint security forces managed to confiscate nearly 500 firearms and bombs, as well as more than five tons of narcotics.

In addition, they also managed to secure the release of 11 police officers and 201 correctional officers who were held hostage by rioters affiliated with criminal gangs.

It is known that the security situation in Ecuador deteriorated sharply on January 7, after Jose Adolfo Macias Villamar, the leader of the Los Choneros gang known as the pseudonym "Fito", escaped from prison, sparking unrest in several prisons.

On January 8, President Noboa declared a state of emergency in the country and imposed a curfew.

Yesterday, Ecuador's police and military tried to restore order in prisons, after successfully releasing all staff who had been held hostage by prisoners.

Security forces searched and regained control of the prisons, the military said.

"National police respect the human rights of these people. We did it in a very calm way," Norman Cano, chief of police at Esmeraldas Prison on social media.

President Daniel Noboa welcomed the news and congratulated SNAI ( Ecuadorian prison authorities), the armed forces, and the national police for their release.

At least 19 people have died in the violence, including civilians, prison guards and police in the past week, according to SNAI authorities.

It is known, Fito's search continues. More than 3,000 police officers and members of the armed forces have been deployed to find him.