An increasing number of Ecuadorians are choosing the Bahamas route in a desperate bid to reach the United States. However, for 15 young Ecuadorians, this journey turned into a nightmarish ordeal as they now face drug charges in the Bahamas. During mid-June 2023, 15...
Colombia and Ecuador Sign Operational Security Plan Amidst Tensions Over Recent Incident
While both nations are committed to working together to stop crime on their borders, Ecuador’s military may have overstepped its bounds in recent anti-drug operation. In an effort to enhance cooperation and combat transnational crime along their shared border, Colombia and Ecuador signed an ‘Operational Security Plan.’ The comprehensive agreement aims to tackle drug trafficking, […]
Municipality of Cuenca Seeks Resolution on Controversial Radar Contract
Update to: The fate of the radar contract in Cuenca hinges on several reports Published: volume 7, Issue 35 The Municipality of Cuenca is taking decisive steps to find a resolution to the contentious radar contract with Movil Technology, which has been a subject of intense public debate and legal scrutiny. As efforts to amicably […]
Eight Key Moments that Fueled the Rise of Organized Crime in Ecuador
Over the years, a series of events and decisions taken by successive governments in Ecuador, coupled with changes in the international landscape, have paved the way for the growth of organized crime and escalating violence in the country. From bombings to prison...
Ecuadorians Become Second Largest Group Crossing Darién Jungle in 2023
Update to: Record Number of Migrants Expected to Cross Darién Jungle Published: Volume 7, Issue 42 The Darién jungle, located between Colombia and Panama, has witnessed a significant surge in migrant crossings this year, with Ecuadorians emerging as the second-largest...
Constitutional Court Rejects Decree Laws on Educational Loans and Company Restructuring
The Constitutional Court (CC) has once again turned down the legal proposals put forth by President Guillermo Lasso following the dissolution of the National Assembly. On Friday, July 28th, the Constitutional Court issued unfavorable opinions concerning two draft decree-laws claiming economic urgency. One of these proposals aimed to provide support for educational loans currently undergoing […]
Four Hours of Chaos and Violence Gripped Esmeraldas as Criminal Gangs Ran Rampant
Drug gangs in Esmeraldas flaunted their ability to take control of the city, while authorities remained in the dark about what was happening. For four hours, the city of Esmeraldas, capital of the province of the same name, descended into chaos and terror on Tuesday, July 25, 2023, as a joint task force, responsible for […]
Adaptation
As I sit here in Yunguilla, flipping through this week’s stories in The Cuenca Dispatch, I can’t help but feel a sense of concern. Crime, drug-gang wars, prison riots, and Ecuadorians fleeing their own country have become recurring headlines. The once quaint little nation I first visited in 2006, and later moved to in 2014, […]
The Government’s Struggle to Take Back Control the Prisons
After five attempts to take seize control of the country’s prison from drug gangs, the Lasso government continues to make little headway in restoring order. Since taking office on May 24, 2021, President Guillermo Lasso has faced a daunting challenge in dealing with the escalating crisis in the country’s prisons. With rampant violence and numerous […]
Turi Prison: A Battleground of Fear and Uncertainty
In the heart of Azuay province, the notorious Turi prison has once again become a hotbed of tension and instability, leaving its staff and inmates grappling with constant threats and violence. Controlled predominantly by the feared Los Lobos criminal gang, Turi prison...