Noboa Declares Internal Armed Conflict in Ecuador

January 9, 2024 Hour: 7:46 pm

President Daniel Noboa decreed this Tuesday the recognition of the presence of an internal armed conflict.

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The executive decree reforms the current state of exception recognizing the existence of an internal armed conflict. It is established as an additional cause to the state of exception declared the day before.

It provides for the immediate mobilization and intervention of the Armed Forces and the Police in the national territory.

The decree also orders the Armed Forces “to execute military operations, under international humanitarian law and respecting human rights, to neutralize the groups identified in Article 4 of this Executive Decree.”

He firmado el decreto ejecutivo declarando Conflicto Armado Interno e identifiqué a los siguientes grupos del crimen organizado transnacional como organizaciones terroristas y actores no estatales beligerantes: Águilas, ÁguilasKiller, Ak47, Caballeros Oscuros, ChoneKiller,… pic.twitter.com/rVfSTFmHlG

— Daniel Noboa Azin (@DanielNoboaOk)
January 9, 2024

The tweet eads, “I have signed the executive decree declaring Internal Armed Conflict and identified the following transnational organized crime groups as terrorist organizations and belligerent non-state actors: Aguilas, AguilasKiller, Ak47, Caballeros Oscuros, ChoneKiller, Choneros, Choneros, Covicheros, Cuartel de las Feas, Cubanos, Fatales, Gánster, Kater Piler, Lagartos, Latin Kings, Lobos, Los p.27, Los Tiburones, Mafia 18, Mafia Trébol, Patrones, R7, Tiguerones. I have ordered the Armed Forces to execute military operations to neutralize these groups.”

The transnational organized crime groups were identified as “terrorist organizations and belligerent non-state actors.”

The decree was issued minutes after armed attackers took over TC Television’s facilities and broadcast live.

On Monday, January 8, a series of incidents qualified as terrorist acts were recorded, car bombs, fires in gas stations, as well as the taking of prison guides hostage by criminals and the dissemination of messages through different social networks, as reported by teleSUR correspondent Elena Rodríguez.