US analyzes aid package for Ecuador
Quito, Jan 10 (Prensa Latina) The president of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa, reported today that the United States is analyzing sending an aid package to confront the wave of crime in the South American nation.
- January 10, 2024
- CST13:24 (GMT) -0500
The president indicated in a radio interview that there is an agreement between Washington and Quito to exchange scrap metal for 200 million dollars in modern equipment, which should be finalized at the end of this month.
He added that yesterday afternoon he met with the US ambassador to Ecuador, Michael Fitzpatrick, with whom he discussed an assistance package.
They are evaluating it and must follow their procedure, the governor said.
The undersecretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs of the US State Department, Brian Nichols, declared that they are “ready to provide assistance to the Ecuadorian government” and that he remains in contact with Noboa's team to coordinate support actions.
This Wednesday, the main authorities of the Ecuadorian Executive held a meeting with the diplomatic corps and there heads of missions from countries such as the United States, Argentina and China expressed their support for the Government and willingness to support.
In this context, the former Ecuadorian vice chancellor Kintto Lucas considered that beyond the real violence, "the chaos is too preconceived, prepared from intelligence to justify and win a consultation that consolidates a neoliberal model in the economic, fascist in the political, against integration and submissive internationally.
After a series of prison riots following the escape of important criminal gang leaders, Noboa declared a state of emergency for 60 days to "regain control" of the penal centers that have been lost in recent years.
The measure unleashed a wave of violence with the burning of cars and detonations of explosives in the streets of several provinces, including Quito, the capital.
The day before, the president issued another decree in which he declared the existence of an "internal armed conflict" as a result of the security crisis and classified around twenty organized crime organizations as "terrorists."
So far, a total of 70 people have been arrested throughout the country until the early hours of this Wednesday, in operations for attacks and terrorist acts carried out by law enforcement forces within the national state of emergency.
ro/avr