Ecuador’s President Lasso addresses the growing threat of organized crime

Ecuadorian President, Guillermo Lasso, has reported that the nation is currently grappling with a critical phase due to the rising threat from organized crime syndicates.

He made this statement amid a recent surge in street and prison violence caused by these groups.

Lasso stated, “Organized crime has assaulted the rule of law, leading to the tragic loss of many lives,” during a ceremony in Quito where 18 million rounds of ammunition were handed over to the police.

These were procured as part of an initiative to retrain the police force in combatting organized crime, which has already led to the seizure of 470 tons of drugs and the neutralization of 48 gang members.

President Lasso affirmed that the government’s unwavering stance against these criminal organizations aims to uphold the authority of the state, declaring, “We do not negotiate with criminals.”

Instead, the government is committed to asserting the state’s presence in the streets and prisons.

Lasso stressed that the government’s priority is to restore peace to the citizens and called for national unity. He emphasized that thwarting the attempts of criminal groups to destabilize democracy and the rule of law requires collective efforts.

He noted that the government had adopted decisive measures to address this threat, including the imposition of a state of emergency for 60 days throughout the prison system and in provinces particularly affected by rising violence.

This follows the murder of the mayor of the coastal city of Manta and increased gang violence in the country’s largest and most dangerous prison, located in Guayaquil, which resulted in 31 inmates being killed.

Amidst these challenging circumstances, the government has mobilized police and military contingents to manage the situation, especially in areas recently targeted by explosive attacks.