Ecuador

Terrified journalists being forced to kneel in a TV studio by gunmen pointing high-powered weapons at their heads as the cameras rolled, police officers pleading for their lives after being kidnapped on duty. The scenes which have unfolded in Ecuador show the extent to which this once peaceful haven in Latin America has descended into violence. Here, we take a closer look at how Ecuador became involved in what its president has declared an "armed internal conflict". What is happening? Ecuador's president, Daniel Noboa, has ordered the armed forces to restore order in the country after days of unrest which…