Ecuador’s president strengthens armed forces to fight organized crime

In an effort to enhance the nation’s fight against organized crime, Ecuador’s President Guillermo Lasso presented the Armed Forces with a set of resources, including 42 military vehicles, protective gear, riot-control equipment, and non-lethal weapons.

The vehicles are expected to aid in intelligence operations, patrols, and surveillance in high-risk areas.

During a ceremony at the Mariscal Sucre Air Base in Quito, Lasso remarked on the significant security challenges posed by organized crime groups linked to drug trafficking.

In addition to the current equipment, the Armed Forces will soon receive the first 20 of 179 armored vehicles purchased from Turkey and Israel.

Emphasizing his administration’s commitment, Lasso stated, “We will employ every logistical and legal means at our disposal to defeat organized crime without compromising.”

He pledged to confront criminal activities and related terrorism strictly within the bounds of the nation’s Constitution and laws until his term’s early conclusion this coming November.

Highlighting the dedication of the Armed Forces and the Police, Lasso mentioned a state of emergency he declared on July 24th due to rising crime rates, which lasted 60 days in specific regions.

Additionally, a state of emergency was implemented in Ecuadorian prisons due to severe prison violence, including an incident that left 31 inmates dead at the country’s largest prison in Guayaquil.

The president urged security forces to remain vigilant in ensuring national safety and revealed an allocation of US$364 million between 2022 and 2023 for the Armed Forces’ equipment upgrade.