On 8 January 2024, President Daniel Noboa declared a countrywide state of emergency for the next 60 days following the escape of the leader of the Los Choneros gang from a Guayaquil prison the previous day. The gang leader’s escape was reportedly aided by a coordinated riot in the prison’s maximum-security section ahead of his scheduled transfer to a high-security facility. Separate prison riots — which involved inmates taking correctional officers hostage — then occurred over the next 24 hours in El Oro, Loja, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, Azuay and Quito. During the state of emergency, a nationwide nightly curfew will be enforced from 2300-0500 local time (0400-1000 UTC) and constitutional rights related to freedom of movement and freedom of assembly will be suspended. Additionally, 3,000 military personnel have been deployed to support local law enforcement officials to resecure the country’s correctional facilities and recapture the Los Choneros leader, who remains at large.