Ecuador has already seized 2,274 weapons in a month of state of emergency

Since January 9, the Ecuadorian Armed Forces and Police have successfully seized 2,274 firearms in joint operations aimed at combatting organized crime and the escalating violence attributed to it in the country. The government implemented a state of exception and declared an “internal armed conflict” to address the situation.

According to the Security Axis, a coalition of military, police, and government officials, their operations in the past 34 days have resulted in the seizure of 11,988 explosives, 153,638 rounds of ammunition, 1,221 bullet magazines, and 3,241 edged weapons.

The Security Axis was formed as part of the Phoenix Plan, a comprehensive strategy to address the crisis. The plan includes a sixty-day state of exception, which is scheduled to conclude in early March.

Since the plan’s implementation, there have been 88,861 joint operations carried out nationwide by the police and military. Of these, 146 operations targeted criminal gangs that are now classified as terrorist groups by the authorities. So far, a total of 7,275 individuals have been arrested, with 241 of them facing charges of terrorism.

During these operations, eight individuals identified as terrorists were killed by the security forces. Additionally, two police officers lost their lives, while no casualties were reported among the military ranks. In a significant accomplishment, 34 of the nearly 90 inmates who had escaped from prisons during the early-year riots have been recaptured.

Under the declaration of “internal armed conflict,” Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa identified at least 22 transnational organized crime groups as “terrorist organizations” and “belligerent non-state actors.” This categorization granted the Armed Forces, alongside the Police, the legal authorization and resources necessary to neutralize these groups.

The spiral of violence in Ecuador prompted President Noboa to introduce the Phoenix Plan to regain control of prisons, many of which had been under the internal domination of criminal groups. Their rivalries resulted in numerous prison massacres, with over 450 inmates murdered since 2020. This violence spilled over into the streets, making Ecuador one of the most violent countries with an alarming rate of 45 intentional homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023.