Ecuador announces emergency to fight drug gangs
Ecuador has declared a state of emergency in eight provinces due to violence related to drug trafficking, aiming to put an end to serious internal unrest in areas including Guayas, Pichincha, Azuay, Bolívar, and Cotopaxi. Over a few years, Ecuador has transformed from a safe country into a major hub for cocaine smuggling linked to cartels in Colombia and Mexico, with the homicide rate rising to 51 crimes per 100,000 people last year. These security measures come after a visit by the U.S. Secretary of State, who called for cooperation in combating drugs, and after Washington designated Ecuadorian gangs as terrorist organizations and targeted boats used for drug smuggling—despite some fishermen denying any involvement in the drug trade.
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