Ecuador's escalating security crisis, characterised by frantic ammunition purchases, daylight assassinations, and a surge in violence inside prisons, has become a pressing concern for the Andean nation. The country, once relatively peaceful, is now grappling with a violent turf war between rival criminal organisations. In an effort to bolster security services, the government acquired a staggering 24 mn gun cartridges, a figure surpassing the nation's population, reports CNN on July 26.
The Pacific coast of Ecuador has been a focal point of the violence, where criminal groups are vying for control of drug distribution, particularly cocaine. The brutal unrest has resulted in the assassination of Mayor Agustin Intriago of Manta and young athlete Ariana Chancay. The nation's prisons have also fallen under the grip of criminal gangs, leading to a shocking body count of more than 400 inmates killed since 2021, with hostage situations and hunger strikes further exacerbating the crisis.
Ecuador's struggle to contain the violence is compounded by its strategic location within the lucrative cocaine trafficking routes between South America and North America and Europe. As a country without a history of cocaine production, it has become a key transit point due to its proximity to major narcotics production centres in Peru and Colombia, as well as its ports equipped for large-scale exports.
The crisis has been fueled by economic insecurity, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has left a substantial portion of the workforce in the informal economy without stable income sources. Criminal recruiters have capitalised on this vulnerability. Allegations of corruption within the security and justice system further complicate the efforts to address the crisis.
President Guillermo Lasso has declared states of emergency in affected areas and authorised security personnel to use lethal force in anti-gang operations. Ecuadorian forces have undergone special training to confront the violence. Despite these measures, the country faces a long and challenging road to ending the security crisis.
Amid the turmoil, the government remains in a holding pattern, with President Lasso dissolving the opposition-led Congress in preparation for a snap general election. Front-runners for the presidency, including Luisa Gonzalez, Otto Sonnenholzner, and Yaku Perez, have all pledged to address the escalating violence. However, the nation grapples with political deadlock and increasing violence, making the path to peace seem distant for Ecuador.
Earlier Daryo mentioned that Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso has announced a 60-day state of emergency for the nation's prisons and granted authorization for the armed forces to take back control of jails in response to the recent violence at the Penitenciaría del Litoral prison in Guayaquil.
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