QUITO- The president of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa, declared this Friday a state of exception due to the energy crisis that the country is going through, with a view to avoiding “terrorist attacks” against the infrastructure for the supply of electricity in the midst of drug violence.
The president ordered the mobilization of police and military “to guarantee the security of critical energy infrastructure facilities to prevent sabotage, terrorist attacks or other threats that may affect their operation,” according to a presidential decree.
The decree will be valid for 60 days, starting April 19.
Ecuador faces a series of power outages to address shortages in the electrical system. Although they were initially attributed to climatic conditions – such as lack of water in reservoirs, extreme heat and failures in power plants – The authorities now point out the possibility of sabotage.
The situation led the president to request the resignation of the Minister of Energy, Andrea Arrobo, declare a state of emergency in the energy system and open an investigation. The first findings suggest that Arrobo and other suspects could have hidden relevant information about the energy situation.
Source: AFP
