Ecuador has been thrust into utter chaos after a major drug lord escaped from prison over the weekend -- spurring cartel gang members to wreak havoc all throughout the country.
Cities like Guayaquil and others are being subjected to stickups and raids on the behalf of thugs who are running amok in the streets ... storming TV stations, holding people hostage at gunpoint, and in many cases -- outright executions of law enforcement officials.
The videos making the rounds online right now are absolutely stunning in the worst possible way -- these cartel killers are recording themselves indiscriminately opening fire in public.
Like we said ... it's bedlam of the highest degree, and the disturbing images surfacing are causing alarm in the international community. Ecuador's government has already issued a state of emergency, and military personnel has been deployed to get a handle on things.
There've been countless arrests -- but it's unclear if this attempted crackdown will be effective ... Ecuador has been at the center of corruption allegations for years, so it remains to be seen if their criminal justice system can keep things in check there.
As far as what sparked all this ... it appears to be stemming from a brash prison break for a guy named Adolfo 'Fito' Macias -- who busted out on Sunday, and who leads Los Choneros.
Now, he and his goons are a putting on a show of force ... and being met with pushback not just from law enforcement, but from citizens as well -- many of whom are taking up arms.
It's a precarious situation, here's hoping they can get things in order there fairly quickly.