In Ecuador, armed and hooded men took television presenters hostage
Internet
Published at: 09/01/2024 05:10 PM
This Tuesday, January 9th, a group of armed men broke into the studio of the Ecuadorian channel TC Televisión, located in Guayaquil and took hostage the presenters who were on the air, international media reported.
Images from the live broadcast show six masked men pointing guns at the employees of the television network who were lying on the floor, the TASS agency reported.
For its part, the Prensa Latina website, points out that a lot of gunshots were also heard and apparently there is at least one injured. In the last few hours, in Ecuador there have been explosions, car bombs, incinerated vehicles, kidnapped police, prisoner escapes, and other violent acts described as terrorists.
It highlights this afternoon how hooded men broke into the studios in Guayaquil of the TC Television channel and kidnapped media personnel until the police arrived, all with a live broadcast on an open signal.
In addition, social networks and local media report that buildings and businesses in downtown Guayaquil closed their doors and evacuated their employees.
In the capital, for their part, the military guards strategic sites, such as the Quito Metro, and carry out operations in search of weapons and explosives.
The National Assembly (Parliament) suspended its face-to-face activities, while other institutions such as the Government's Financial Platform were evacuated.
The attackers also threatened those who were in the channel's studio with explosives. Around 14:45 local time, the police entered and rescued the victims.
Meanwhile, other media, such as Vistazo and Ecuavisa, ordered the total closure of the doors and the evacuation of personnel.
It was also reported that the National University of Guayaquil was robbed.
Ecuador has experienced a sharp increase in crime in recent years, aggravated in the last few hours in which explosions, car bombs, incinerated vehicles, kidnapped police officers, prisoner escapes, and other violent acts described as terrorists have occurred.
These events take place after the state of emergency decreed this Monday by President Daniel Noboa, a questioned measure that contemplates a curfew from 23:00 to 05:00 (local time).
The decision was taken by the president on a day in which there were riots in at least five prisons after the escape of the leader of the criminal gang Los Choneros, Adolfo Macías (Fito).
Mazo News Team