On Tuesday, a live broadcast by an Ecuadorian television station was interrupted as masked gunmen invaded the studio, with gunshots and shouts heard on the live feed.
The people, wearing balaclavas and mostly dressed in black, were seen wielding guns and accosting huddled staffers before the feed cut out.
Some of the invaders gestured at the camera and someone could be heard yelling “no police”.
The national police said on social media it was evacuating the public channel’s studio in Guayaquil, verifying the condition of staff there and “reestablishing order”.
Police in Guayaquil confirmed 13 arrests, and police social media posts showed photos of young men lying on the floor with their hands zip-tied behind their backs.
The incident followed the kidnappings of at least seven police officers and a series of explosions, a day after Noboa declared a state of emergency.
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