Armed suspects break into Ecuadorian TV station amid live broadcast

Hooded and armed suspects broke into an Ecuadorian television studio Tuesday and terrorized the staff while they were on the air, sending shock waves through the country, reported Xinhua.

Viewers watched as the events unfolded live, witnessing the suspects point their weapons at the employees of local "TC Television" station in the southwest coastal city of Guayaquil.

Station employees remained lying on the floor, visibly shaken by what was happening. Amid the chaos, a series of gunshots rang out as employees pleaded for the shooting to stop.

After a burst of gunfire, the broadcast abruptly went off the air.

There were no immediate reports of victims or official statements from the government.

The National Police posted to social media platform X that "Given the entry of criminals into the facilities of a media outlet in Guayaquil, our specialized units are being deployed at the scene to address this emergency."

The unprecedented event followed months of escalating violence that led President Daniel Noboa on Monday to declare a 60-day state of emergency with a nighttime curfew to stem the unrest, including at prisons.

As part of the measure, the military has been mobilized to bolster policing.

Meanwhile, some 39 inmates broke out of a prison in the Ecuadorian city of Riobamba, in Chimborazo province, Monday night amid a state of emergency declared by the government to crack down on crime, a local official confirmed Tuesday.

Riobamba Mayor John Vinueza told local Pichincha radio station that the breakout occurred during a prison riot, where detonations of explosives were heard.

"In the process, 39 escaped ... of which, according to the information I receive, 12 have been recaptured," he said.

Citing a police report, local media said the inmates escaped around 10:45 p.m. local time through a prison sentry box while the facility was embroiled in the riot.

Among the escapees is Fabricio Colon Pico, a criminal linked to the "Los Lobos" criminal organization who is suspected of planning an attack against the national attorney general, Diana Salazar.

Colon's escape came just as authorities were planning to transfer him to another prison.

The events in Riobamba followed a day of rioting at several Ecuadorian prisons, along with explosives and kidnappings of police officers Monday night and early Tuesday morning in several cities across the country, which has been plagued by organized crime.