In response to ongoing internal armed conflict, Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa declared a state of emergency in five provinces through Executive Decree No. 250. This marks the second time in the year that Ecuador has been confronted with a state of emergency due to escalating violence across the nation.
This legal instrument consists of four Articles and is designed to address the surge in hostilities and the urgent requirement to launch tactical combat operations against armed groups. As a consequence, the emergency state was announced in the provinces of El Oro, Guayas, Los Rios, Manabí, and Santa Elena. Per the decree’s Article 2, it will stay in effect for 60 days and allows for the mobilization and intervention of both the Armed Forces and National Police.
Beyond this, the decree also suspends the right to inviolability of the home and, thus, empowers the Armed Forces and National Police to perform inspections, raids, as well as the seizure of any materials or tools deemed significant in neutralizing future threats.
The President had proclaimed a countrywide state of emergency previously in January with Executive Decree No.110 after the breakout of Adolfo Macías, a leader of a top gang in the country. A day later, President Noboa publicly acknowledged the existence of an internal armed conflict when gunmen invaded a TV station, taking several hostages. The state of emergency was subsequently prolonged for an additional 30 days in March. On April 22, several security proposals put forward by President Noboa to curb the further increase of violence were approved.
Ecuador has been notably impacted by a surge in violence against public authorities. Mayor José Sánchez was killed during a routine jog with his security team. In a similar incident, Mayor Brigitte Garcia was found shot dead in a car in March. Consequently, 45 mayors across the country have sought police protection.
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