Ecuadorian authorities reported that clashes between gangs vying for territory in Guayaquil, Ecuador’s largest city, resulted in the deaths of approximately 22 individuals on Friday.
Local police chief Pablo Davila informed reporters that gunfights erupted in the Nueva Prosperina neighborhood on Thursday afternoon involving members of the Los Tiguerones criminal group.
“Yesterday, criminals fought each other in certain areas of the city,” Davila stated. “The core issue is that they are familiar with one another, know each other’s residences, and are engaged in a struggle for territorial dominance.”
In response, police initiated an operation, conducting roughly 200 searches and confiscating firearms and ammunition. Fourteen individuals, including two minors, were apprehended in the vicinity.
According to officials, a number of those killed and arrested had prior criminal histories, facing charges encompassing robbery and drug trafficking.
The government has recently intensified its response in Ecuador’s most volatile areas as part of its campaign against drug-trafficking gangs.
The government has classified Los Tiguerones and other similar organizations as terrorist groups.
Noboa, who is running for re-election in an April runoff, stated that military and police personnel would be authorized to address the violence in Guayaquil without fear of reprisal for using strong tactics.
“Defend the country, and I will defend you,” he posted on X.
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