According to the document, the Andean country is one of the fastest growing crime markets in the region and is among the ten countries with the highest crime rates in the world.
In 2021, Colombia topped the list, followed by Mexico, Honduras, Paraguay and Panama. However, in the 2023 world rankings, Ecuador jumped into the “Top 10,” led by Myanmar, followed by Colombia, Mexico, Paraguay, Republic of Congo, Nigeria, South Africa, Iraq, Afghanistan and Lebanon (which have one each). Necktie).
The director of the Pan American Development Foundation, Marcela Bueno, told the digital portal Primicias that the South American country has become an important player in the international drug market and emphasized the importance of international cooperation to combat organized crime.
This Wednesday, a report in the newspaper La Hora revealed that the drug route is established in Ecuador’s seaports, which are no longer used for transit and are already considered producers of harmful substances.
According to the journalistic report, there are ten seaports in the national territory, but only two have drug detection scanners.
Official figures from the National Police show that 154 tonnes of drugs have been seized so far in 2023, including 48 at seaports.
The Ecuadorian government attributes the insecurity crisis to drug trafficking and disputes between criminal gangs over control of the drug trade.
Faced with escalating crime, President Guillermo Lasso’s government has taken controversial measures such as allowing civilians to carry weapons and allowing police and military to use all means at their disposal against those they consider terrorists regard.
However, the number of violent deaths does not stop rising and many citizens blame the executive branch for the lack of policies against violence in the country.
ro/nta