Ecuadorian security crisis and political violence

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Article Draft[edit]

Background[edit]

Perched at the northern end of South America with Columbia, Venezuela and Peru as neighbors, Ecuador has lived in a comparably peaceful environment and was definitely safer to travel to than their neighboring countries. While not everyone agreed and there had been points of contention with Rafael Correa, their President, starting all the way back before 2017, the country had still been relatively safe and stable for a while. Then, once 2020 struck, Ecuador had been attracting more heat among other external forces that combined for a recipe equaling crime and violence throughout the country. “Security has experienced a significant deterioration throughout the region, but the situation in Ecuador is particularly alarming. The homicide rate has quadrupled in just two years, transforming the country from one of the least violent in the region to one of the most violent on the planet. Murders, both inside and outside prisons, have become gruesome spectacles that undermine confidence in government.”^[1] Additionally, in just the last year, violence and general endangerement of citizens has ramped up, worrying all of Ecuador and influencing the upcoming elections. (In 2022, there were approximately 26 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in the country, almost double from the homicide rate of 25.9 reported the previous year. Between 2014 and 2018, the homicide rate in Ecuador decreases steadily with the exception of 2017. However, the 2022 homicide rate was the highest this South American country has seen at least since 2014.)[1] (Graph)"The increase in political violence in Ecuador has unfolded in a context of a serious deterioration in citizen security, which is linked to the actions of organized crime. The Security Indicators show that at least 3,513 homicides were recorded in the country in the first half of 2023, a 58% increase over the same period in 2022.”^[2] Finally, the majority of the aforementioned and statistics and general descriptions of increased violence have been based mainly off of organized and general crime, however violence in prisons within Ecuador have been escalating at the same rate, adding to the chaos and crisis.

Violence in prisons[edit]

For years under President Guillermo Lasso's rule (president from 2021 to 2023), Violence within prisons due to both corruption and escalating gang disputes has skyrocketed. For example, one  of Ecuador’s largest prisons, Litoal Prison has seen 31 deaths in just one day and over 2500 armed guards deployed after president lasoo declared a formal state of emergency in regards to the prison system. That’s just one example of Ecuador's largest prison dropping into chaos. On top of that, there are prisons all over the country rioting and taking guards hostage, and the death and wounded rate is only going up. One thing that has resurfaced in several prisons is called crucifixion protests where “the preventively incarcerated—of whom there are thousands—managed to effectively denounce their extralegal confinement by embodying the violence of the Christian crucifixion story.”^[3] So, not only has Ecuador quickly become one of the most violent countries in the region, but one of the most publicized and scrutinized as well.

Correa's Guide[edit]

We know Ecuador's been thrown into chaos, and violence has been erupting in recent years and we even know who had reigns of the country while it happened, but let's discuss why it happened and what led the country to this state in the first place. “The largest political force in Ecuador’s National Assembly consists of lawmakers loyal to former President Rafael Correa, who led the country from 2007 to 2017. Lasso was a prominent critic of Correa’s charismatic and populist leadership, in a period when Ecuador borrowed heavily, especially from China, and saw its democracy strained by Correa’s authoritarian instincts, manipulation of the judiciary and persecution of the press and political opponents.”^[4] With Correa squeezing the government for just about everything, and more deals being made, the country was due for something to happen. While most couldn’t see it from the outside, the country had been on the brink for a while and it wasn’t much of a surprise that the distrust in their political leaders led to something bigger.

Election Violence[edit]

While violence within gangs, prisons, and general distrust in the government has run wild, it didnt boil over until recently with the new election looming large. In an election and political Climate riddled with fear and accompanied by a wave of violence across the nation, one’s been left dead and the voters are left in bewilderment. While both candidates are left following the death of third ant-corruption candidate Fernando Villavicencio, criminal gangs as well as prisons and other criminal entities haven’t let up and the country is still blood-stained as it stands. Aside from political killings, as of months ago, there have already been the highest number of murders recorded compared to the past few years. While Ecuador used to be known as the peaceful country in the area, they’ve quickly become one of the most dangerous.

References[edit]

Bernal, Angelica Maria. 2021. “Ecuador’s Dual Populisms: Neocolonial Extractivism, Violence and Indigenous Resistance.” Thesis Eleven (164): 9–36.

CANO, REGINA GARCIA. 2023. “Ecuadorians Elect a New Leader amid Surge in Violence.” The Press and Journal: 24.

Daniels, Joe, and Kenza Bryan. 2023. “Ecuadorean Presidential Candidate Villavicencio Assassinated: State of Emergency.” Financial Times: 4.

“Death toll from violence at Ecuadorian prison climbs to 31: ECUADOR PRISONS.” 2023. EFE News Service. https://www.proquest.com/docview/2841596283/citation/2C55B89597014534PQ/1 (November 9, 2023).

“Ecuador: IACHR Condemns Political Violence and Warns of Attacks on Democracy.” https://www.oas.org/en/IACHR/jsForm/Default.asp?File=/en/iachr/media_center/PReleases/2023/180.asp(November 9, 2023).

“Four Keys to Understanding What Is Happening in Ecuador | Wilson Center.” https://www.wilsoncenter.org/blog-post/four-keys-understanding-what-happening-ecuador (November 9, 2023).

“Frightened by Unprecedented Violence, Ecuadorians Choose New President: ECUADOR.” 2023. The Atlanta Journal - Constitution: A.6.

Garces, Chris. 2010. “The Cross Politics of Ecuador’s Penal State.” Cultural Anthropology 25(3): 459–96.

“Guillermo Lasso: Conservative Ex-Banker Elected Ecuador President.” 2021. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-56713570 (December 19, 2023).

Noriega, Roger F. 2015. Ecuador: American Enterprise Institute. http://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep03226 (November 6, 2023).

Sánchez, F., and C. Granados. 2023. “Institutionalization of contentious politics: Ecuador under Guillermo Lasso.” Revista de Ciencia Politica 43(2): 279–300.

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