Ecuador declares state of emergency in 7 provinces

Quito (AFP) May 22, 2024

Ecuador declared a state of emergency in nearly a third of its provinces Wednesday after a surge in violence amid the government's ongoing "war" on drug gangs. The measure, which allows for the deployment of soldiers in the street, was announced for a period of 60 days for seven of the country's 24 provinces, according to a government decree. The states of Guayas, El Oro, Santa Elena, Ma