A group of masked and armed miscreants stormed into and hijacked a live broadcast of Ecuadorean television station TC on Tuesday. Just moments before the live feed ended, the armed miscreants were seen taking people as hostages and leaving the premises. Ecuador President Daniel Noboa issued a decree declaring 22 gangs as terrorist organisations. The national police stated that it was evacuating the public channel's studio, verifying the condition of staff there and "reestablishing order," as reported by news agency Reuters.
As per the footage doing rounds on social media, the miscreants were seen forcing people to lie on the floor, zip-tied.
What Happened In The Studio
TC shares a site with another public broadcaster, Gamavision, and several radio stations. The miscreants entered through Gamavision's reception, assaulted the staff there and left a dynamite behind, Reuters reported while citing TC news coordinator and reported, Leonardo Flores Moreno.
The take-over at the studio was broadcast live for around 20 minutes. Gunshots and people's screams for help were heard on the live feed while some of the invaders were seen gesturing at the camera, as reported by Reuters.
According to Reuters, the channel was later back on-air for its evening news broadcast. During the evening broadcast, anchors said that the attorney general's office was on site collecting evidence. As per TC, two employees were injured.
The national police said on social media it was evacuating the public channel's studio in Guayaquil, verifying the condition of staff there and "reestablishing order".
The police in Ecuador's Guayaquil confirmed that 13 people involved in the attack have been arrested, as per Reuters.
According to a BBC report, a 60-day state of emergency was announced in Ecuador on Monday following the disappearance of a notorious gangster from his prison cell. It is yet to be ascertained if the attack at TC was related to the disappearance of the boss of the Choneros gang, Adolfo Macías Villamar, or Fito as he is better known.
Violence Is Reaction To Noboa's Plan To Build New High-Security Prison & Transfer Jailed Gang Leaders: Govt
The Ecuadorian President assumed office in November to curb drug-trade-related violence. Admiral Jaime Vela, Head of the Joint Command of the Armed Forces, after a security meeting with Noboa and other officials, told Reuters, "Today's events show that the actions and decisions taken by the national government are gravely affecting criminal structures, and as an answer, they have created a wave of violence to frighten the populace."
The prison transfers of major gang leaders have led to violence in the past as well. Hundreds of inmates have been killed in recent years.
President Noboa on Tuesday said he was mobilising the armed forces to carry out "military operations to neutralise" what he called "transnational organised crime, terrorist organisations and belligerent non-state actors", as reported by the BBC.