"We cannot guarantee that the tournament will fully conclude if the protests become stronger and jeopardize the players' safety," Morales said in a press conference.

For the past nine days, there have been protests in Ecuador against the government's economic reforms implemented throughout the country, but they have become particularly violent in the capital, Quito.

The director thanked the National Police for their support in providing "the necessary security" for both the participating teams and the fans.

After several meetings with police authorities to assess whether it was convenient to proceed with the Copa Libertadores, both the South American Football Confederation (Conmebol) and the Ecuadorian Football Federation (FEF) decided to continue as planned.

"This is a major plan that we have been working on with national leaders regarding security," said the general coordinator of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC), William Poveda.

Regarding the recent mobility restrictions imposed by the government between 8:00 PM and 5:00 AM, Morales clarified that "the curfew has nothing to do with sports venues," but rather encompasses the vicinity of public buildings.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Franklin Espinoza, from the State Major Police, stated during the press conference that the mission of the security forces "is to ensure that this event is carried out in the best possible way and that this sporting celebration takes place safely."

The member of the National Women's Football Commission, María José Benítez, highlighted the success of the national women's cup in Ecuador and urged the Ecuadorian population to support the growth of different sports teams.

In addition, she emphasized the collaboration of high-level training centers and hotel chains that provided accommodation for the players.

The opening match will take place this Friday at 5:00 PM local time (22:00 GMT) at the Atahualpa Olympic Stadium in Quito, between Colombian team Atlético Huila and Uruguayan team Peñarol, while at the same time, Ecuadorian team Deportivo Cuenca and Venezuelan team Estudiantes de Caracas will face off at the Rodrigo Paz stadium in the same city.

The tournament will feature three previous champions: Colombian team Atlético Huila, Chilean team Colo Colo, and Brazilian team Ferroviaria.