People stand outside a closed business, following a violence outbreak a day after Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa declared a 60-day state of emergency following the disappearance of Adolfo Macias, leader of the Los Choneros criminal gang from the prison where he was serving a 34-year sentence, in Quito, Ecuador, January 9, 2024.
Credit: Reuters Photo
Beijing: The Chinese embassy and consulates general in Ecuador will be temporarily closed from January 10 until further notice, according to a statement on Wednesday.
In the face of escalating violence in recent days, Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa signed an executive decree, declaring the South American country in a state of "internal armed conflict", identifying several organised crime groups as terrorist organizations and non-state belligerents.
The president ordered the armed forces to operate within the framework of international humanitarian law.