Noboa Declares 'Internal Armed Conflict,' Names 22 Gangs Terrorist Organizations

President Noboa signs a decree declaring Ecuador in a state of 'internal armed conflict,' formally designating 22 criminal groups — including Los Choneros and Los Lobos — as terrorist organizations and legitimate military targets. The decree authorizes the armed forces to conduct combat operations against gangs, a legal framework whose constitutionality is later questioned by Ecuador's Constitutional Court. 'We are at war, and we cannot cede in the face of these terrorist groups,' Noboa tells Canela Radio.