Ecuador: State of emergency extended in Esmeraldas by 60 days April 27 /update 5

Event

On Friday, April 27, Ecuadorian President Lenín Moreno announced that the existing state of emergency in San Lorenzo and Eloy Alfaro cantons of Esmeraldas province would be extended for 60 days. In particular, the populations of Mataje, El Pan, La Cadena, and Eloy Alfaro will continue to be under emergency measures; the government has suspended some civil rights in the communities, allowing security forces to enter homes and read correspondences without a warrant as well as the ability to limit freedom of transit and freedom of association and assembly. Police and armed military forces are expected to be deployed to the affected areas to restore order in the areas and provide security. Further military operations are expected along the Ecuador-Colombia border in the coming days and weeks.

Context

Security along Ecuador's border region with Colombia has deteriorated in recent months due to an increasing presence of Colombian organized crime groups, notably militants of the now-demobilized FARC guerrilla group who have refused to adhere to the 2016 peace agreement. A state of emergency in the Ecuadorian border cantons of San Lorenzo and Eloy Alfaro (Esmeraldas province) was initially declared following a bombing that targeted a police station in San Lorenzo on January 27, wounding some 30 people. The attack has been attributed to ex-FARC dissidents and was likely in retaliation for security operations targeting drug trafficking along the Ecuador-Colombia border. A string of violent incidents has since taken place in the border region.

Advice

Individuals in Ecuador and Colombia, particularly those in or planning travel to the Ecuador-Colombia border region, are advised to monitor developments to the situation, remain vigilant for potential militant activity, and adhere to all instructions issued by the local authorities.