Ecuador president decrees state of emergency in five provinces

FILE PHOTO: Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa attends an inauguration ceremony for a referendum that asks voters to support mostly security-related questions to fight rising violence, in Quito, Ecuador April 21, 2024. REUTERS/Karen Toro/File Photo

QUITO (Reuters) -Ecuadorean President Daniel Noboa on Tuesday decreed a state of emergency in five coastal provinces because of "internal armed conflict".

The measure marks the second security-based emergency declaration by Noboa, who took office in November on promises to turn around a deteriorating security situation that has led to a spike in violent deaths and other crimes.