The President of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa Azin, issued Executive Decree No. 193, renewing the declaration of a state of emergency in Ecuador due to a “serious internal disturbance and internal armed conflict,” extending the duration of the state of emergency for another 30 days due to serious criminal incidents and conflicts in the country.
The Secretariat General of Communication of the Ecuadorian Presidency stated in a press release that the extension of the state of emergency aims to ensure public order, social peace and peaceful coexistence. While the extension includes measures to reinforce ongoing police and military operations, Article 4 of the decree stipulates that the actions of the Armed Forces and the National Police must comply with the law and respect human rights. In addition, Article 5 states that “public officials will be responsible for any abuses committed in the exercise of their powers during the state of emergency.”
On January 8, Noboa declared a state of emergency nationwide through Executive Decree No. 110, including detention facilities within the National Social Rehabilitation System. This was in response to escalating violence caused by the escape of Adolfo Macías from the Guayaquil regional prison. On February 29, the Ecuadorian Constitutional Court unanimously declared the state of emergency constitutional.
Just one day later, on January 9, through Executive Decree No. 111, Noboa officially recognized the existence of an internal armed conflict in Ecuador. The rationale for this decision was based on a report by the National Police, which characterized criminal groups as having a “minimum level of organization” and “involvement in armed confrontations in the context of organized crime between 2014 and 2023.” Noboa emphasized that these organizations involved in organized crime are considered actors in the alleged conflict, having developed the capacity to “plan, coordinate, carry out and claim acts of violence against the population, as well as planned and indiscriminate acts of violence.” In addition, he categorized these actions as terroristic, emphasizing the current use of “arms, ammunition, explosives and accessories,” going so far as to use exclusively military weapons.
Noboa said Friday that the prison crisis in Ecuador is the result of decades of neglect. He alleged that criminals in prisons have a significant advantage in firepower, surpassing even that of the armed forces. He claimed that organized crime groups have internet connectivity in prisons, allowing them to use the prisons as operational bases. Noboa then claimed that while he supports human rights, he would not allow human rights to be used as a shield to commit murder and would not tolerate attacks on the police and armed forces.
