Government Seizes Guayaquil's Security System — 30 Police Agents Raid Segura EP as Power Struggle Escalates

The central government just took over Guayaquil's eyes and ears.

What Happened

On Sunday evening, February 15, approximately 30 National Police agents entered the facilities of Segura EP — Guayaquil's municipal public company for risk management and security control — and assumed operational control of the entire entity.

Interior Minister John Reimberg led the operation personally, arriving at Segura EP's headquarters alongside Police Commander Pablo Dávila. Segura EP staff offered no resistance during the takeover.

All of Segura EP's surveillance cameras, operators, vehicles, alert systems, and logistics were immediately integrated into the national security system under Interior Ministry and National Police coordination.

The Stated Reasons

Reimberg cited two primary justifications:

1. The fire crisis: Three major fires struck downtown Guayaquil in a single week — a motorcycle factory fire on February 9 in Guasmo Norte that required 62 firefighting units, the devastating Multicomercio building fire on February 11 that burned for over 50 hours and displaced approximately 100 families, and a third alarm-3 fire on February 15 at Chile and Sucre streets that forced evacuations of nearby buildings. The government demanded a technical investigation and accountability.

2. Data storage violations: Reimberg alleged that Segura EP was storing sensitive citywide surveillance data with Telconet, a private telecommunications company, at an external location rather than on-site as required by ministerial agreements. He warned that private data repositories could create "mirror rooms" benefiting criminal organizations.

The Key Quotes

Reimberg's statements were pointed and deliberate:

• "Los hechos ocurridos en Guayaquil no son fortuitos. Hay estructuras operando en la sombra para provocar violencia y desorden." (The events in Guayaquil are not coincidental. There are structures operating in the shadows to provoke violence and disorder.)

• "El Estado no va a ceder la ciudad al crimen organizado." (The State will not cede the city to organized crime.)

• "No es una decisión política, es una decisión de seguridad." (This is not a political decision, it is a security decision.)

• "No hemos venido a confrontar con el Municipio, hemos venido a proteger." (We have not come to confront the Municipality, we have come to protect.)

The Ministry of Government separately stated: "No es aceptable que se repitan emergencias sin responsabilidades." (It is not acceptable that emergencies keep repeating without accountability.)

The Municipal Response

Acting Mayor Tatiana Coronel — who assumed mayoral duties after Aquiles Álvarez's arrest on February 10 — defended Segura EP's management, stating the municipality maintains "absolute disposition to collaborate" and operates "within the legal framework." Segura EP President Fernando Cornejo and General Manager Álex Anchundia were at the facility during the takeover.

The Political Context

The seizure cannot be understood outside the broader power struggle between the Noboa administration and Guayaquil's opposition-aligned municipal government:

| Date | Event | |------|-------| | February 10 | Mayor Aquiles Álvarez arrested in pre-dawn raid | | February 13 | Noboa relocates government operations to Guayaquil | | February 13 | Police high command moves to Guayaquil's Modelo Barracks | | February 15 | 30 police agents seize Segura EP |

Segura EP was created on June 15, 2023, replacing the previous Citizen Security Corporation (CSCG). It manages Guayaquil's entire network of surveillance cameras, emergency monitoring systems, and security coordination — making it one of the most strategically important municipal entities.

What This Means for Expats

• 911 and emergency services are unchanged: If you're in Guayaquil, call ECU 911 as you always would. The operational change is at the institutional level, not the citizen-facing level
• Expect more police presence: With the national security apparatus now controlling Guayaquil's camera network and coordinating with police, expect increased patrols, checkpoints, and law enforcement visibility — especially during the remaining Carnival holiday
• The political temperature is rising: This is the fourth major federal intervention in Guayaquil in six days. Whether you view this as necessary security consolidation or political overreach, the pattern is unmistakable and accelerating
• Surveillance data implications: Reimberg's claim that sensitive camera data was stored with a private company raises questions about data privacy and security that affect anyone captured by Guayaquil's surveillance network
• Carnival disruptions: The fires forced the relocation of Carnival concerts from Malecón to Samanes Park, with events now scheduled for Monday and Tuesday evenings (5 PM to midnight)

Sources: Expreso, El Universo, Teleamazonas, Primicias