The government of Ecuador has announced that, starting this weekend, it is prepared to launch a sweeping military offensive against criminal networks in the country, with the support of the United States.In an interview on Wednesday with Ecuador’s Radio Centro, Interior Minister John Reimberg framed the upcoming assault as a shift in tactic for the administration of President Daniel Noboa.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list“Last year, we dedicated ourselves to catching all the heads of the [criminal] structures, which led them to fight among themselves for the same criminal economy,” Reimberg said.“This year, we are going to attack the criminal economy.”Illegal mining and drug trafficking operations would be among the targets of the latest sweep, the minister added. No further details were provided about the scope of the operations.Ecuador imposes curfewReimberg’s statements follow the announcement of a curfew for four Ecuadorian provinces: El Oro and Guayas along the Pacific coast, plus the eastern central areas of Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas and Los Rios.The curfew is expected to stretch for more than two weeks, from March 15 through March 30, requiring that residents stay indoors during designated hours.Should travel be necessary during curfew hours, officials warned that residents must be prepared to show documentation to justify their trip.In Wednesday’s remarks, Reimberg argued that such restrictions were necessary to avoid civilian casualties.“We d …
