(MENAFN) President Daniel Noboa has announced a 30-day extension of the state of emergency in several regions of Ecuador, including the capital Quito, due to rising violence and what the government describes as "serious internal unrest."

The extension, formalized through an executive decree, applies to seven provinces: Guayas, Los Rios, Manabi, El Oro, Santa Elena, Orellana, and Sucumbios, as well as the Metropolitan District of Quito. These areas have been under emergency measures since April, amid what officials have called an “internal armed conflict” triggered by the government's intensified crackdown on organized crime groups beginning in January 2024.

According to the decree, “The ultimate objective of the state of emergency is to guarantee public order, social peace, and peaceful coexistence among citizens.”

The president has directed the ministries of national defense and the interior, along with the Strategic Intelligence Center, to ensure the enforcement of the decree through coordinated efforts with all relevant institutions.

As part of the emergency measures, the government has suspended certain constitutional rights. These include the inviolability of homes and private communications, along with restrictions on freedom of movement—measures that authorities say are necessary to combat the escalating threat posed by criminal organizations.

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