Guayaquil, Ecuador: Armed Criminal Cell ‘Los Fantasmas’ Claim They Will Kill Criminal Organizations

"Sol Prendido" for Borderland Beat 

In a video circulating on social networks, a group called ‘Los Fantasmas' appears, who sent a message to the criminal gangs of Guayaquil, after the acts of violence in the Littoral Penitentiary. 

According to this group, they are going to execute the members of narco criminal organizations such as Los Lobos, Tiguerones, Lagartos, Los Ben 10, among others, unless they "stop their hand" with the incidents in prisons.

"Here Los Fantasmas will begin purging Tiburones, Lobos, Lagartos and the Ben 10," a voice is heard in the video, referring to the gang war within the prison system.

In addition, in the statement they launch a threat to these armed groups. "To all these extortionists and hitmen of these organizations. You’ve all been identified. If you don't stop your ways, you will be executed by our purging group," says the voice in the images.

"We are well prepared to repel and face any attack and we will start with the house of Duran," the spokesman added. The images show a group of 20 armed men wearing skull masks and appearing in an open space with trees behind them. While the pronouncement is issued, some individuals point their weapons directly at the camera. At the end of the video, you hear a shout from all the participants.

Threats to La Posta

Within their pronouncement they also attacked the digital media outlet La Posta, where a series of reports on the Littoral Penitentiary were published. "Don't get involved with bandit stuff because you don't know what they’re like," they said.

Faced with this, one of the authors of the report responded to the threats. 

Andersson Boscán said on his Twitter account that "receiving threats is normal in our work, but it shouldn’t be." The communicator added that they did a professional job.

On the other hand, the Network of Free Journalists on its Twitter account rejects the threat "The Network of Free Journalists requires the State to activate the mechanisms that guarantee the integrity of the journalistic team and the media in the face of the threat," they published.

El Telégrafo

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