Ecuadorian authorities apprehend individuals affiliated with gang that raided hospital

Ecuadorian security forces have apprehended 68 gang members after they forcefully entered a hospital in the town of Yaguachi, located in the Guayas province. Officials stated that these individuals attempted to seize control of the facility which was treating a member of their gang. Police disclosed that the intruders' objective was to protect the patient from potential assaults by rival gangs. This is not the first time gang members have been targeted while receiving medical care in hospitals. In 2022, seven gunmen were arrested after storming a hospital in Chone in search of a rival gang member who was in critical condition. Nurses and hospital staff were taken hostage during this incident, and the gunmen engaged in gunfire with the police. The identity of the gang responsible for the recent attack on the Yaguachi hospital, as well as the injured man they were attempting to protect, remains unclear. According to the authorities, the patient arrived at the hospital early Sunday morning with gunshot wounds and subsequently succumbed to those injuries. After securing the hospital, security forces also conducted a raid on a nearby "rehabilitation center." These centers are often used by gangs as a façade for their illegal activities. Officials have revealed that this specific center was serving as a command center for the gang's operations, as well as a brothel. This incident took place during a state of emergency, declared by President Daniel Noboa, to address the growing problem of gang violence. Since January 9th, more than 2,700 suspects have been arrested as part of the president's initiative to combat these criminal organizations. The state of emergency was declared after gunmen held journalists and staff members at a TV station hostage during a live broadcast. In response to the escalating violence, the government deployed soldiers alongside the police to restore order, as the gang-related issues had expanded from prisons to the streets of Ecuador's major cities. It has been reported that 201 prison guards and staff members, who were previously held captive by rioting inmates, have been released. However, the gangs continue to intensify their attacks. In a particularly shocking incident, César Suárez, a prosecutor investigating the TV station attack, was fatally shot on his way to a hearing in the city of Guayaquil.