Twenty-two individuals lost their lives in armed confrontations in Guayaquil, Ecuador’s largest city, on Thursday. Authorities indicated that the violence may stem from a conflict between factions of the Los Tiguerones criminal organization vying for control over certain areas within a neighborhood.
In response to escalating violence, President Daniel Noboa’s administration, as he campaigns for reelection in an April runoff, has ramped up security measures in the country’s most dangerous regions as part of a declared campaign against drug gangs.
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According to a statement released by the National Police late Thursday, some of the deceased had previous convictions related to robbery, drug trafficking, and possession of firearms.
