Ecuadorean President Daniel Noboa declared a 60-day state of emergency on Monday after Ecuador’s most-wanted prisoner Jose Adolfo Macias, the leader of the Los Choneros criminal group, escaped from Guayaquil prison on Sunday. Noboa promised to crack down on soaring levels of violence during his campaign that ended in November, and firmly stated that human traffickers and criminals will no longer dictate the direction of the Ecuadorean government. On Monday, Ecuador’s prison agency stated that there were incidents at six prisons across the country. Over 400 inmates have died due to gang violence in Ecuador’s overcrowded prisons over the past two years. The military is currently patrolling prisons and cities across Ecuador, and a nationwide curfew is in place.

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https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/ecuador-declares-state-emergency-amid-prison-chaos-2024-01-08/