In seven years, the number of attacks in Ecuador has increased eightfold. The direct cause of this unprecedented security crisis is drug trafficking. In 2023, more than 7,600 homicides were recorded in the area, a third of which occurred in the port of Guayaquil, a hub for the cocaine trade. In comparison, France, four times the size, recorded around 1,000 murders in the same year.
However, Ecuador has long been an exception in the region. The country is considered a transit country that does not grow coca, the plant used to refine cocaine, on its soil and has thus been able to protect its population from gang violence.
In this video we explain to you the reasons that have plunged Ecuador into an uncontrollable spiral.
If the topic interests you, we invite you to read the report of our special correspondent at the port of Guayaquil, the main export port for cocaine.
“Understand in three minutes”
The explanatory videos in the “Understanding in Three Minutes” series are created by the Vertical Videos department World. Broadcast primarily on platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook, they aim to contextualize major events in a short format and make the news accessible to everyone.
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