Quito, Jan 9 (EFE).- Ecuador’s armed forces chief said Tuesday that his troops would neither back down nor negotiate with extremist groups.
Jaime Vela made the remarks following the state security council meeting led by Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa.
The country is experiencing moments of great tension after the raid by an armed commando on TC Television in Guayaquil, which ended with the arrest of at least 13 criminals and the release of the channel’s staff.
At least eight people died and two others were injured in several armed attacks registered Tuesday throughout the city, according to Guayaquil Mayor Aquiles Alvarez.
Vela made a statement Tuesday night at the Carondelet Palace government headquarters with the Public Administration secretary, the government and interior minister, the national defense minister and the national police general commander.
“Today’s events are proof that the actions and decisions undertaken by the (government) seriously affect criminal structures and in response have unleashed a wave of violence to frighten the population,” Vela said. “They have committed bloody and unprecedented acts in the history of the nation, but despite their brutal evil, this attempt will fail.”
The armed forces leader said Noboa had “established a very clear mission for us: from this moment on, every terrorist group identified in the aforementioned decree has become a military objective.”
“We are not going to back down or negotiate. Good, justice and order cannot ask permission or bow their heads to terrorists,” he said.
Noboa decreed the existence of an “internal armed conflict” in the country and ordered the armed forces to take action, saying he had identified transnational organized crime groups “as terrorist organizations and belligerent non-state actors.”
Among them he listed “Aguilas, ÁguilasKiller, Ak47, Caballeros Oscuros, ChoneKiller, Choneros, Covicheros, Cuartel de las Feas, Cubanos, Fatales, Ganster, Kater Piler, Lagartos, Latin Kings, Lobos, Los p.27, Los Tiburones, Mafia 18, Mafia Trebol, Patrones, R7 and Tiguerones. EFE
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