The Government will carry out a final evaluation on Wednesday of the state of emergency decreed in Guayas, Esmeraldas and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas. The decision aims not to extend that state, but to focus the work on provinces with higher rates of violence.
The measure comes to an end on December 16, and the Police Commander, Fausto Salinas, has advanced the plan that will be taken after the state of emergency ends.
The state of emergency was defined on November 1 after a series of violent events in sectors of those three provinces. The events left a balance of six dead police officers. The Government first included Guayas and Esmeraldas, and then extended the measure to Santo Domingo.
Fausto Salinas, commander of the Police, indicated this Tuesday in Radio Democracy that the state of exception will have a final evaluation tomorrow.
A series of attacks in Guayaquil with explosions and dead policemen have been reported at dawn on November 1
“There are many who say that states of exception do not work: they really do work, because they serve to use resources. The use of trespassing, for example, has allowed us to enter homes, obtain valuable information, and prosecute big crime targets,” he asserted.
Salinas indicated that there are 142 targets of interest from organizations: in Guayaquil there are 73; Emeralds, 50; and Santo Domingo, 19.
Interior Minister Juan Zapata mentioned that 8,332 people have been apprehended nationwide and 72 criminal gangs have been dismantled.
The figures shown by the Government also refer to a reduction in violent deaths. The police chief said that at the national level they register a 28% reduction in violent deaths. “It was growing; we have achieved containment…”, mentioned Salinas, who insisted that most of the deaths are related to criminal acts.
Salinas pointed out that this Monday two security plans were presented for December, which includes operations and a plan to focus on seven provinces that have the highest indicators of violence and insecurity.
Once the state of emergency is over, special operations will be carried out in seven provinces and combined with the Armed Forces to find critical points.
In these operations they will not only carry out preventive actions, but also search for criminal organizations with more weight in those sectors.
Salinas indicated that the provinces with the most problems are those that are on the drug route and with the most violent deaths. There are Guayas, Esmeraldas, Manabí, Los Ríos, Santo Domingo and El Oro. The commander also maintained that Quito has problems of organized and common crime.
The state of exception in Guayas and Esmeraldas will last 45 days
“In those seven provinces, special work teams will be set up, where intelligence and investigation and the preventive axis will collaborate. A job of control of territory and organizations…”, advanced the police chief.
The interventions will not be simultaneous, but gradual, due to the limits of the Police’s capabilities.
acquired goods
Salinas indicated that goods purchased with the $13 million given to Guayaquil will be delivered tomorrow. Salinas maintained that they bought buses, motorcycles, trucks, equipment and that infrastructure was adapted.
In addition, he mentioned that President Guillermo Lasso, within the declared emergency, gave the go-ahead for the purchase of ammunition for endowment and training.
Within this emergency, the work will include the reinforcement of the infrastructure of 51 risk UPCs. The idea is to place armored protection or concrete walls.
The process of vests, equipment that comes with Israel and the plan to strengthen the Police, which includes renewal of the vehicle fleet to improve capacities, is also underway. (YO)
Source: Eluniverso

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