State of emergency and curfew imposed in selected areas of Ecuador
Ecuador’s Security Committee recently announced the enactment of an emergency state and nighttime curfew across two provinces and one city – Manabí, Los Ríos, and Durán.
The decision follows a surge in crime rates and was made the day after the assassination of Manta’s Mayor, Agustín Intriago.
Ecuador’s President, Guillermo Lasso, declared the new measures during a Security Committee assembly in Durán, a city known for its high levels of violence and insecurity.
The curfew, effective from 10 PM to 5 AM local time, covers the provinces of Manabí and Los Ríos, neighbors to Guayas province, home to Guayaquil and Durán.
States of emergency have been frequently used as a tool to manage heightened violence since the onset of Lasso’s presidency in May 2021.
The nation was deeply impacted by the loss of Mayor Intriago, a popular figure assassinated while inspecting construction sites.
A Venezuelan citizen suspect is currently under arrest and hospitalized following the incident.
The latest security measures are a response to the wave of violent incidents that have taken place recently in Ecuador, including the attack on Durán’s mayor, Luis Chonillo, and the murder of legislative candidate Rider Sánchez in Esmeraldas.
Ecuador’s Security Committee plans to convene again to discuss the current situation of violence, organized crime, and the associated risks faced by local authorities.
The nation ended 2022 with a record-high violent death rate, driven by street and organized crime, most notably drug trafficking.
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