Minister Reimberg announces imminent operation against organised crime in Ecuador
Interior Minister John Reimberg has indicated that a "major blow" against organised crime will be executed in the coming days, with the support of US troops.
Reimberg anticipates "major blow" with support from US Southern Command
Ecuador's Interior Minister, John Reimberg, announced that in the coming days a large-scale operation will be carried out against organised crime structures, according to vistazo.com. The action will be conducted jointly with US military forces already operating on Ecuadorian territory.
"They thought we had forgotten about them, but once again we have demonstrated that this is the Ecuador of the past. In this Ecuador we fight organised crime and anyone who has harmed the country we search for them, we find them and we bring them to answer for what they have done," Reimberg said in a video posted on social media.
The official indicated that the results of the operation—derived from an investigation by the National Police—will be made public once the action is concluded.
This is not the first time Reimberg has announced results before executing an operation. On 21 September last, he also posted a video announcing the detention of a person linked to cases of hospital corruption, although the identity of the suspect remains unknown to date.
State of exception in eight provinces
The announcement is set against the backdrop of the state of exception declared by President Daniel Noboa on 15 September, for 60 days and due to grave internal disturbance, in eight provinces and three cantons of the country.
The provinces included are El Oro, Esmeraldas, Guayas, Los Ríos, Manabí, Pichincha, Santa Elena and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas. It also applies in the cantons of Camilo Ponce Enríquez (Azuay), Las Naves (Bolívar) and La Maná (Cotopaxi).
The curfew, meanwhile, applies selectively in Guayas, El Oro, Los Ríos and Manabí from 17 to 30 September, between 00:00 and 05:00.
Joint operations with US by sea, land and air
Cooperation with the US Southern Command spans actions on three fronts. On the coasts of Manabí, personnel have detained several fishermen allegedly linked to organised crime and have destroyed multiple vessels.
In the provinces of Guayas, Manabí, El Oro and Los Ríos, law enforcement forces captured 36 people with alleged ties to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
The Ecuadorian Government attributes the scenario of violence that prompted the state of exception to these transnational criminal structures.
Source: Google News EC — Crime