Americas

Kirby: Too Soon to Know Whether Ecuador Tensions Will Aggravate US Border Crisis

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - White House Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said on Wednesday that it remains too early to tell whether the crisis in Ecuador will worsen the migration crisis at the US southern border with Mexico.
Sputnik
“Too soon to know,” Kirby said when asked whether the administration is concerned that the crisis in Ecuador could increase the flow of migrants to the US southern border. “Obviously, that’s something we are going to watch and monitor.”
Kirby further indicated during the briefing that he was unaware of any talks about a possible reduction in the diplomatic presence in Ecuador amid the ongoing violence.
"Not that I am aware of at this time," Kirby said. "I am not aware of any changes to our footprint or our force protection posture at the embassy."
World
Crumbling State & Cocaine Superhighway: What's Stoking Ecuador's Explosion of Gang Violence?
On Monday, Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa declared a 60-day state of emergency in Ecuador following prison riots and the escape of a major gang leader, Jose Adolfo Macias Villamar, also known as Fito, from a jail in Guayaquil. A day later, Fabricio Colon Pico, the head of another major gang in Ecuador, Los Lobos, also escaped from detention.
Noboa said that the country was in a state of "internal armed conflict" amid the hostage-taking and riots in various cities and prisons and designated several organized crime groups as terrorist organizations. He also ordered the army to neutralize several criminal groups operating in the country.
The incumbent president came to power rallying to fight crime, which had reached alarming scales. During the latest election campaign, at least two political figures were killed.
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