“In the same space where they wanted to silence us”: the emotional return to the air of the Ecuador channel taken over by a gang of drug traffickers

Two days after the coup d’état in which a group of drug traffickers took control of live broadcasts, the TC Televisión channel resumed its usual programming in Ecuador. It was during the news broadcast of the Guayaquil signal that the violent group stormed in with weapons and grenades. There, this Thursday, the program host left with an emotional editorial. “In the same space where they wanted to silence us,” summarized journalist Saskia Bermeo. “This team stands courageously today,” she added, her voice breaking and tears in her eyes.

The El Noticiero studio, in Guayaquil, was the scene of a scene of violence last Tuesday that went around the world, perhaps like never before: members of groups declared “terrorist” by the Ecuadorian state broke in alive and threatened, beaten and even opened fire on their workers.

Forty-eight hours later, one of the program’s hosts opened the edition with a strong message and with a broken voice: “We are back, in the same space where they wanted to silence us.”

Dressed in a petrol gray jacket, facing the camera and with the routine in her hands, she began to look at the audience: “We are here for and for each and every one of you.”

“Thanks also to the armed forces and the police forces for their professionalism and their impeccable work, which in less than 15 minutes subdued those who tried to spread terror and controlled these structures,” he said, recognizing the work of the forces security personnel who recovered the bodies. building. .

And then he continued, referring to the military and police forces: “Bringing us back to our homes to embrace, yes, embrace our families. They are our heroes without capes and they undoubtedly deserve all our recognition and standing ovation.

Then he addressed the audience again. “Friends, the news is back here. In the same space where they wanted to silence us,” Bermeo said, with a mixture of smile, relief at the shock of what could have been, and anguish at what he suffered firsthand .

“We return now stronger and more committed to our Ecuadorian brothers, to the people who wake up with our signal to go out and build a better Ecuador. With the people who allow us to accompany them in their daily lives because they trust in this team committed to informing with truthfulness, transparency, timeliness and more today he stands up courageously“he added, holding back tears.

And with his voice clearly broken, he extended an invitation to the viewers.

“We invite each of you to unite to recover our country. We support all, all, positive initiatives that can give us back the Ecuador we deserve. That Ecuador of peace and security. Because we still have time, because the good onesCertainly, as I have always said, “we will always be more”expressed Bermeo.

“Here we begin the second news broadcast”, concluded the presenter, while the camera went back, showing her face visible in full length with the same scenario that – two days earlier – had been that of an attack that had put her with bated breath. country and unleashed a wave of security measures across the region, prevention operations and arrests in the context of a state of war, as President Daniel Noboa himself described.

Il Noticiero is broadcast at 7am, 12pm and 7pm. But the January 9 broadcast, as Bermeo wrote on his social media, aired “on a day impossible to forget”.