CNN reported a dramatic interruption during a live broadcast at a Guayaquil-based TV network, where hooded and armed individuals forcibly entered the studio, compelling staff onto the floor amidst alarming sounds of gunshots and shouting. The incident occurred at the state-owned TC Television, causing a viral stir on social media as the live stream signal remains offline.

Ecuador, under a state of emergency, faced escalating violence after President Daniel Noboa declared the measure in response to the escape of notorious gang leader Adolfo "Fito" Macias from a Guayaquil prison. Subsequent to this declaration, the country witnessed multiple kidnappings of police agents across different cities.

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN ECUADOR ???????? ????

Warning graphic images ahead….

A serious of terror attacks…

Armed clashes broke out between narco terrorists groups and police in Quito and beyond.

Hooded men take over the facilities of an Ecuadorian television channel in full broadcast.… pic.twitter.com/QzI5OgYpez

— Fiorella Isabel (@FiorellaIsabelM) January 10, 2024

The surge in violence, attributed to rival criminal groups vying for control of drug trafficking routes, has resulted in explosions, prison disturbances, and targeted attacks on law enforcement. Reports detailed the detonation of an explosive device in a vehicle carrying three kidnapped agents and incidents of arson in Esmeraldas and Quito.

The security situation within prisons remained volatile, with ongoing unrest and the escape of Fabricio Colon Pico from a Riobamba prison, accompanied by 38 other inmates. Ecuador's Armed Forces initiated control operations in conflict areas while the National Assembly convened an emergency session to address the nationwide turmoil.

Efforts to locate Adolfo Macias, leader of Los Choneros, a notorious gang linked to transnational drug trafficking, intensified with a significant deployment of security forces. Macias, convicted of drug-related charges, had reportedly threatened the late presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio, cautioning against his campaign against gang violence.