It was Tuesday, January 9, on the screen of TC Television it was broadcast that a group of criminals armed to the teeth invaded the channel and subdued the media workers in a live broadcast. The sounds of gunshots, terrified people, blows, chaos and the image of a journalist with a roll of dynamite in his lapel and a gun pointed at his head, marked a turning point in the uncontrolled situation of fear, insecurity and violence that reigns in the country.

On the same day, President Daniel Noboa signed an executive decree declaring an internal armed conflict and identifying organized crime groups as terrorist organizations and belligerent non-state actors.

Task to show positive things about Ecuador

These groups reacted, taking prisons with their guards and managers hostage, sending defiant messages, burning cars and starting shootings in the streets, killing innocent civilians. It was a declaration of war, a show of strength in a conflict that was already present, implicit in extortions, attacks, assassins, murders and kidnappings.

On January 10 (10e), we woke up to the war against terrorism, the war for the return of peace, freedom and hope. A war that allows children and young people to stay out of school to join gangs, that families and merchants don’t have to pay a protection fee, that people can go out into the streets without fear.

What must not be broken

Since that day, the Armed Forces and the police have cooperated and have so far conducted more than 4,000 operations with almost 3,000 detainees, 88 operations against terrorist groups, seized 35,000 kilograms of drugs and freed 200 guides and prison administrative staff.

In the midst of this tension and apparent triumphalism, we must understand that this is not an easy conflict and that it will not be resolved after two months of state of emergency, it is a long battle, which can only be resolved if we fight together, from different perspectives, fronts, but united. Without political opportunism, with a view to the Ecuador of the future.

The campaign promoting #DefendYourFlag has become strong on the networks, and today I want to think about how we can be part of this process, how we can defend our flag. Actions such as support and cooperation with the Armed Forces and the police come to mind; be informed through official media and avoid spreading and disseminating false or sensational news, encourage cooperation among neighbors and communities to maintain a safe environment, establish support and communication networks for reporting suspicious activities; promote empathy, respect and education in the family for a culture of legality among children and young people; opening the space of reconciliation, possibilities and hope, because this war is not only the defeat of criminal organizations, but also an attempt to recover those who entered it.

How would you defend our flag? (OR)