As Government Pressure Mounts, Ecuador’s Armed Gangs Strike Gold
After a 24-hour search party in the early days of July, police and military were met with gunfire as they…
As Government Pressure Mounts, Ecuador’s Gangs Strike Gold
After a 24-hour search party in the early days of July, police and military were met with gunfire as they…
Convictions in Ecuador Political Assassination, But No Clarity
Last week a judge in Ecuador sentenced five people convicted in the high-profile 2023 murder of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio,…
Ecuador’s War on Gangs Stumbles in Key Coastal City
The Ecuadorian government is brandishing the results of its national gang crackdown as a victory, but continuing violence in the…
Prisoner Torture and Abuse Rife in Ecuador’s Gang Crackdown
When the military entered Latacunga prison in Cotopaxi, Ecuador on the afternoon of January 14, the inmates knew they were…
Ecuadorians Back President’s Security Agenda But Challenges Await
Ecuadorians delivered an overwhelming show of support for President Daniel Noboa’s hardline security policies in a referendum held as the…
Unmasking the Foreign Players on Ecuador’s Criminal Chessboard
Ecuador declared war on 22 domestic drug trafficking gangs in January, proclaiming them terrorist organizations and arresting over 11,000 suspects.…
Unpacking Criminal Violence in Durán, Ecuador’s Cocaine Warehouse
The Ecuadorian city of Durán went from relative obscurity to being splashed across international headlines when its homicide rate began…
US-Ecuador Security Cooperation: A New Plan Colombia?
As Ecuador grapples with a security crisis, senior US military officials visited the country and signed a multi-million dollar aid…
Record Cocaine Seizure Blow to Ecuador’s Gangs
The seizure of almost 22 tons of cocaine and the capture of a top Colombian drug trafficker have given the…