Curfew in five Ecuadorian provinces: more than 1,200 arrests in five days

In the first five days of a night curfew in the provinces of Guayas, Los Ríos, El Oro, Manabí and Esmeraldas, 1,078 people were arrested, 559 of them for breaking the curfew, according to interior ministry figures cited by El Universo and El Comercio. The army arrested another 181 people in 586 separate operations, bringing the total to about 1,259.

The midnight-to-5 a.m. curfew has been in force since November 1 and, according to El Universo, runs until November 10. It is Ecuador's fourth curfew this year, introduced by amending a September state of exception.

Police seized 91 firearms, 582 kilograms of drugs and more than 2,000 gallons of fuel, and impounded or recovered 318 cars and 684 motorcycles.

"The aim is to reduce their financial capacity and strangle their logistics," said Defence Minister Gian Carlo Loffredo. He said 13,000 weapons have been seized this year.