Gunmen broke into the studio of a public television channel in Ecuador on Tuesday while it was broadcasting live.
Footage posted on social media shows armed men threatening staff inside Guayaquil-based TC Television.
Another video circulating on social network X shows criminals breaking into the University of Guayaquil, with local media reporting on kidnappings at the University.
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa issued a decree declaring an “internal armed conflict”.
He ordered the Armed Forces to carry out military operations to neutralize organized criminal groups.