Soldiers in an armoured vehicle patrol the city's historic centre following an outbreak of violence a day after Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa declared a 60-day state of emergency following the disappearance of Adolfo Macias, leader of the Los Choneros criminal gang from the prison where he was serving a 34-year sentence, in Quito, Ecuador, January 9, 2024. REUTERS/Karen Toro
GUAYAQUIL/QUITO (Reuters) -More than 130 prison guards and other staff are being held hostage by inmates in at least five prisons around Ecuador, which is reeling from an escalation of violence in recent days that its president has called a war.
President Daniel Noboa, who has promised to tackle a growing security problem caused by a rise in drug-trafficking gangs transporting cocaine through Ecuador, on Tuesday named 22 gangs as terrorist organizations, making them official military targets.
