Ecuador declares state of emergency over drug violence: ‘Only one enemy: the drug trade’ | Abroad

“In recent years, Ecuador has turned from a drug-trafficking country to a drug-using country,” said Lasso, who came to power in May last year.

Earlier in the day, it was reported that the president has appointed a new defense secretary. He appointed retired General Luis Hernandez to this post, pointing to the “moment of insufficient public security” in the South American country. Hernandez replaces Fernando Donoso. “Ecuador is going through a period of uncertainty, an uncertainty caused by several factors, including drug trafficking,” Lasso said. He stressed that the country needs “stronger, more solid” armed forces.

Between January and August, 1,427 murders were recorded in the country. That is already 55 more than in the whole of 2020, according to figures from the Ministry of the Interior.

The decision to declare a state of emergency comes a day before US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits the country. Blinken will speak with Lasso about cooperation in the fields of security, defense and trade.

Prison War

At the end of September, violent clashes broke out in a prison in the southwest of the country between rival gangs linked to drug trafficking and Mexican and Colombian cartels. 119 prisoners were killed.

This year has seen several bloody clashes between rival gangs in the country’s overstretched and understaffed prisons. There are about 39,000 people in the 65 prison complexes in Ecuador, while they are equipped for roughly 30,000 inmates.

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