In recent years, Ecuador has gone from a peaceful tourist destination with a low homicide rate to one of the deadliest countries in mainland Latin America. The homicide rate in Ecuador has skyrocketed to nearly 45 per 100,000, making it the most violent country in the region. Durán, Ecuador’s largest city, has been labeled as the world’s most violent city, with a murder rate of 148 per 100,000 in the previous year.
The increase in violence in Ecuador can be attributed to the rise of organized crime, particularly focused on smuggling cocaine from Colombia to Europe through Ecuadorian ports. This surge in violence is not limited to Ecuador as other countries in Latin America are also experiencing similar issues with transnational criminal groups expanding their operations.
Governments in the region have adopted mano dura policies, characterized by strict and often heavy-handed measures to combat crime. These policies include declaring states of emergency, mass incarceration without discrimination and deploying the military to maintain order on the streets. These tactics have been inspired by the perceived success of similar strategies in El Salvador where President Nayib Bukele declared a state of emergency following a weekend where 87 people were killed by gangs. The government subsequently incarcerated nearly 80,000 individuals resulting in a significant drop in the homicide rate and an increase in popularity for President Bukele.
Following this trend, President Daniel Noboa of Ecuador proposed tougher anti-crime measures which were overwhelmingly supported by Ecuadorians during a referendum held on April 21st. These measures include overturning a constitutional ban on extradition of criminals, allowing the army to permanently patrol streets and prisons and eliminating early release possibilities for well-behaved prisoners. With these new measures in place, Ecuador hopes to curb rising violence and restore safety and security for its citizens