During his speech, the president frequently urged special forces to act forcefully. | Photo: EFE
Quito, October 19 (RHC)-- The president of Ecuador, Guillermo Lasso, decreed late Monday a state of emergency for 60 days in the framework of his National Security Plan, which sets off alarms because the security forces will remain deployed in the country with their weapons ready.
"Our Armed and Special Forces will be felt strongly in the streets because we are decreeing a state of emergency throughout the country, especially in those provinces where the indicators of violence justify it," the president announced.
Referring to the details of the state of exception, the banker and current president emphasized that the police and military will be able to deploy throughout the country and carry out operations. "There will be arms controls, inspections, patrols 24 hours a day (...) we will give the forces of law and order the necessary support to carry out their fight against crime," he added.
"We will create the Legal Defense Unit of the public forces, which will be dedicated to the protection of all those members of the Police and the Armed Forces who are sued for simply doing their duty", said the Ecuadorian head of state.
During his statement, the president urged the special forces to act with force. "Act with the courage that characterizes them, this government will pardon all those who have been unjustly condemned for having fulfilled their duties. Our judges must guarantee peace and order," he warned.
"The Executive will send in the next few days a new bill dedicated to support our law enforcement officers and will be called "Law for the Defense of the Duty of the Public Force," thus protecting and uniting all forces to return security to the citizens," said Lasso.
Currently, Lasso's government is not going through its best moment, in addition to the Pandora Papers scandal, there is the prison crisis that has resulted in murders as a result of armed clashes between gangs and the social claims evidenced in mobilizations.
