(CNN Spanish) — At least 5 people died this Sunday and 16 are injured following an explosion in Cristo del Consuelo, in Guayaquil, reported the National Risk and Emergency Management Service of the Ecuador.
The explosion, which occurred in the early morning hours, destroyed 8 homes and 2 cars, according to reports from the authorities. posted on Twitter.
The Guayaquil firefighters attended the emergency, and it is still formally unknown what elements were used for the attack.
Credit: MARCOS PIN/AFP via Getty Images
However, just hours following the incident, the Minister of the Interior, Patricio Carrillo, said on his Twitter account that it might have been an attack with explosives.
“Organized crime mercenaries, who have drugged the economy for a long time, now attack with explosives,” he said.
Organized crime mercenaries, who have long drugged the economy, now attack with explosives. It is not a problem of @PoliciaEcuador. It is a declaration of war on the state. Either we unite to face it or the price will be even higher for society. https://t.co/CUbVqrU2QB
– Patricio Carrillo (@CarrilloRosero) August 14, 2022
At a press conference on Sunday followingnoon, the governor of the province of Guayas, Lorenzo Calvas, rejected the “acts of terrorism.” It was also known the reward of US$ 10,000with which the Ministry of the Interior seeks specific information regarding what happened.
Credit: MARCOS PIN/AFP via Getty Images
So far the identity of the fatalities and the injured is unknown.
Guillermo Lasso, president of Ecuador, sent condolences to the families of the victims and reported the “immediate activation of the security cabinet.”
My condolences to the families who were victims of the terrorist acts that occurred early today in Cristo del Consuelo. I have ordered the immediate activation of the Security Cabinet to take all necessary measures for the protection of Guayaquil.
— Guillermo Lasso (@LassoGuillermo) August 14, 2022
Lasso decrees a state of exception in Guayaquil
“I have declared the city of Guayaquil in a State of Exception due to the criminal events that have taken place in the last few hours. The entire public force will be available to restore control of the city. We will not allow organized crime to try to run the country,” the president said on his Twitter account. Twitter.
The country’s Secretary of Security, Diego Ordoñez, said this Sunday at a press conference on the State of ExceptionThat has constituted a task force between the armed forces and the national police to restore order in the sector”.
Valentina González contributed to this report.
