“Guacho” threatened civilians 5 days before the first kidnappin
Ecuadornews:
The Ecuadorian Police followed the track of alias “Guacho” from November of 2017. Then he was linked to an attack on a patrol of the Mobile Anti-narcotics Special Group (GEMA), in the north of Esmeraldas.
Since then they listened to their phone calls and recorded their conversations. For example, they were able to avoid a murder, but they were unable to stop the attacks they carried out since January, when they placed a car bomb in the San Lorenzo police station.
Even, a major of the Police that worked in the Esmeraldan canton, maintained several conversations through WhatsApp with “Guacho” and with another man of his narco-guerrilla who identified himself as Andrés Sinisterra.
The talks began in February and in them “Guacho” and his man threatened members of the security forces, authorities and civilians. For example, on March 8, Andrés Sinisterra’s phone was launched against the current mayor of San Lorenzo, Gustavo Samaniego, and against soldiers and police.
That message said: “You did not want to have a dialogue with my employer. He sends you to say that from now on he is still a couple and like Colombia, you have wanted him that way, and tell that mayor of San Lorenzo that the $ 20,000 he offered for the old man, he sent him to duplicate for the head of the living or dead mayor that will bring him to get into problems that are not theirs and like you as police and soldiers of Ecuador got involved in a war that is not yours and to see we have people in his country and there is no truce. ” Mayor Samaniego did not want to talk about the threats publicly, but his personal security and that of the Cabildo facilities was reinforced since the “Guacho” attacks began.
The police major communicated, in writing, this and all the dialogues to his superiors. These chats are investigated by the Attorney General’s Office in the process for the detonation in the police station and in other files.
The same happens with two colonels who maintained contact with “Guacho”, even during the kidnapping of the newspaper team of El Comercio, which took place in Mataje on March 26 and later assassinated.
The exchange of messages
Five days before the kidnapping, a person who identified himself as “Guacho” issued his warnings, while the police tried to persuade him not to do so. Police: “Hello ‘Guacho’. Good afternoon. Look, we were in a compromise and the deal was that you do not harm the Ecuadorian population. ” Guacho: “So ready, but do what we are saying or tomorrow I’ll put one in Quito, tell me no more, continue with the links with Colombia and as I told you, they mistreated my family around 2 am and that’s why you have to pay “(Text was edited to clarify the reading).
Police: “We are trying to solve ‘Guacho’, but today you put another bomb in the early hours of the morning. Guacho: “Well tomorrow is late millet because if tonight you can be turning a car loaded with soldiers. Tell me to stop the orders, speak then. ”
Police: “As I said ‘Guacho’, the delegate was already to meet with you, with what happened he turned back. And now from the morning we are working on finding someone who wants to help us. ”
Guacho: “Well why dont they send it, If I close my phone you will not say I’m bad. I remind you that they went into my mother’s house and mistreated my family, they have to pay for that damage, millet, talk about it. ”
Police: “We have time to talk, negotiate and reach logical agreements.”
Guacho: “With that I’m not convinced, send your delegate tomorrow or I close my phone and there will be civilian deaths, avoid that millet.” The police commander, Ramiro Mantilla, said that there is an internal inquiry about these communications and that those who worked at the border will be evaluated.
US Assistant Secretary of Defense visits Ecuador
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense of the United States, Sergio de la Peña, arrived in Ecuador for a two-day visit. A meeting with Defense Minister Oswaldo Jarrin is scheduled on his agenda.
The appointment will be framed within the effort to expand bilateral relations and cooperation in security between the two countries. De la Peña is responsible for the security, defense and policy of the United States in the Southern and Northern Hemispheres, as well as overseeing funds for defense cooperation programs for the Northern Command and Southern Command of the United States. .
De la Peña assumed his current position in 2017. He is a retired colonel of the United States Army. He was in service for 30 years as an Air Defense Officer and held other positions and leadership positions.
This visit comes after Lieutenant General Joseph P. DiSalvo, military deputy commander, arrived in Ecuador in March; and Ambassador Liliana Ayalde, foreign policy adviser to the Southern Command of the United States, to meet with both civilian and military defense authorities. (I)
Source: https://www.eltelegrafo.com.ec/noticias/judicial/12/guacho-secuestro-frontera-norte-ecuador