The President of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa Azin, has extended the country’s state of emergency for another 30 days in response to what he termed a “serious internal disturbance and internal armed conflict”. This situation arises from increasingly severe criminal activities and conflicts prevalent in the country. The President issued this extension under Executive Decree No. 193.
According to the Secretariat General of Communication of the Ecuadorian Presidency, the continuation of the state of emergency is driven by a desire to ensure public order, social peace, and peaceful coexistence. This effort will bolster ongoing police and military operations. Notably, however, Article 4 of the decree insists that while the Armed Forces and National Police are ramping up their actions, they must operate within the law and respect human rights.
Earlier this year, on January 8, President Noboa declared a nationwide state of emergency through Executive Decree No. 110, including within the National Social Rehabilitation System’s detention facilities. This decision was grounded in the escalating violence that followed the escape of Adolfo Macías from the Guayaquil regional prison.
Carrying this a step further, President Noboa officially acknowledged the presence of an internal armed conflict the very next day through an issuance of Executive Decree No. 111. The reasoning was influenced by a report by the National Police, wherein criminal groups were recognized for their minimum level of organization and their involvement in armed confrontations against organized crime from 2014 to 2023.
Highlighting the gravity of the situation, Noboa expressed that these criminal groups—actors in the alleged conflict—have the ability to “plan, coordinate, carry out and claim acts of violence”. These actions were labelled as terroristic given the use of arms, ammunition, and explosives that, in some cases, are exclusively military weapons.
Over the past week, President Noboa asserted that Ecuador’s prison crisis is an outcome of long-standing neglect and complacency. He shared his concerns over the significant firepower advantage criminals in prisons have, surpassing even that of the nation’s armed forces. In fact, some organized crime groups have managed to maintain internet connectivity in prisons, thus using these facilities as their operational bases. But in the midst of these realities, President Noboa made it clear – respect for human rights should not mask criminal activities, and attacks on the police and the armed forces will not be tolerated.
As this unprecedented internal conflict escalates, the eyes of the world, particularly those of the international legal community, are firmly upon Ecuador. The implications for the nation’s internal security and its commitment to human rights in the face of such unrest could potentially redefine its legal landscape.
For more detailed information, refer to the full article on JURIST.org.