In seven years, the number of assassinations has increased eightfold in Ecuador. The direct cause of this unprecedented security crisis is drug trafficking. In 2023, more than 7,600 homicides were recorded in the territory, a third of which occurred in the port of Guayaquil, a hub for cocaine trafficking. In comparison, in the same year, France, which has a population four times greater, recorded around 1,000 murders.
However, Ecuador has long been an exception in the region. Considered a transit country that does not cultivate coca, the plant used to refine cocaine, on its soil, the country managed 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 subject interests you, we invite you to read the report of our special correspondent in the port of Guayaquil, the main port for exporting cocaine.
“Understand in three minutes”
The explanatory videos that make up the “Understand in three minutes” series are produced by the Vertical Videos department of the World. Broadcast primarily on platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook, they aim to put major events into context in a short format and make the news accessible to everyone.
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