President Noboa declared the existence of an “internal armed conflict” in the country and ordered the Armed Forces to carry out military actions.
Panama’s president, Laurentino Cortizo, expressed his “solidarity” with his colleague from Ecuador, Daniel Noboa, and lamented “the events that have arisen and compromise stability and the rule of law in this brotherly country.”
Cortizo added, in messages through his social networks, that his government is attentive to “the critical internal security situation” in Ecuador, and that it is monitored through the Panamanian Embassy in Quito, “the state of Panamanians who are in that country, in order to seek assistance and protection, if required.”
President Noboa declared the existence of an “internal armed conflict” in the country and ordered the Armed Forces to carry out military actions, after a heavily armed commando occupied the Guayaquil TC Televisión public channel for several hours, riots took place in six prisons and other violent acts were recorded in Quito and several more cities, resulting in at least 8 dead.
Yesterday, numerous governments of the Americas, international organizations such as the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and the Andean Community, as well as non-governmental organizations, such as Human Rights Watch (HRW), today condemned the wave of violence recorded on Tuesday in Ecuador and some offered to support the authorities of that country even by sending armed troops if necessary.
On Tuesday Ecuador experienced a day of terror that left at least eight dead in various violent acts, the temporary seizure of a television channel by an armed group in Guayaquil, burned cars, threats to universities, state institutions and shops.
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Despite the seriousness of the events, which killed eight people and included simultaneous attacks in several cities of the country, the President of the Republic, Daniel Noboa – who took office last November – has not appeared in public since he released on social media on Monday night a video with the declaration of the state of emergency and curfew.
The president of the Inter-American Press Association (IAPA), Roberto Rock, condemned the temporary takeover of the TC Televisión channel and described it as “an grievance that is extremely serious because of its multiple implications.”
“In a context of violence, whatever its origin, the authorities must take urgent action to ensure that journalists can exercise their profession without fear of reprisals and continue to serve the community,” Rock added.
The U.S. government monitors “next close” reports of “violence, kidnappings and a series of explosions in Ecuador” and is ready “to provide assistance,” a spokesman for the U.S. State Department told EFE.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) director for the Americas, Juanita Goebertus, expressed her “concern about the serious acts of violence committed by criminal gangs” in Ecuador.
This article has been translated from the original which first appeared in Panamerica