Members of the Ecuadorian National Police after a riot in the capital Quito.

Crime in Ecuador is investigated by the Ecuadorian police.

Crime by type

Murder

Further information: List of countries by intentional homicide rate and Ecuadorian security crisis

In 2012, Ecuador had a murder rate of 12.4 per 100,000 population.[1] There were a total of 1,924 murders in Ecuador in 2012.[1] By 2014, this had decreased to 8.23 per 100,000, with 1,309 murders recorded that year,[2] but since 2019 the number of homicides, often related to organized crime and narcotraffic operations, has risen to 14 per 100,000 in 2021 while widespread corruption throughout ineffective and weak political institutions provided only a weak answer to the mounting violence. [3] In April 2022, the provinces of Guayas, Manabi, and Esmeraldas were all declared in state of emergencies for 60 days by Ecuadorean President Guillermo Lasso. It was reported that there is a rise in violent deaths and crimes in the said provinces this year. Along with this, 9,000 police and military are said to patrol the streets in the provinces during the 60 days.[4]

Corruption

Main article: Corruption in Ecuador

In a 2009 diplomatic cable from the United States diplomatic cables leak released in April 2011, U.S. Ambassador Heather Hodges said that "corruption among Ecuadorian National Police officers is widespread and well-known" and that "U.S. investors are reluctant to risk their resources in Ecuador knowing that they could be targeted by corrupt law enforcement officials."[5][6]

Terrorism

Further information: Terrorism in Ecuador

Domestic terrorist groups present in Ecuador include the Popular Combatants Group (PCG), the Revolutionary Militia of the People, the Marxist-Leninist Party of Ecuador, and the Alfarista Liberation Army.[7] Foreign groups include the Colombian groups Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and National Liberation Army (ELN).[7]

Domestic violence

Further information: Domestic violence in Ecuador

Although prohibited by law, domestic violence in Ecuador is a human rights problem.[8] In a 2008 survey, 32.4% of the women interviewed aged 15–49 said they had suffered physical or sexual violence by a current or former partner.[9]

Security crisis

Main article: Ecuadorian security crisis

Conflict in Ecuador among rival drug trafficking gangs and the Ecuadorian government has been common. Initially taking place within prisons between rival gangs, it has since expanded outside of prisons and attracted the participation of numerous outside criminal syndicates.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Global study on homicide". United Nations : Office on Drugs and Crime.
  2. ^ "dataUNODC |". data.unodc.org.
  3. ^ "Mutilated bodies, gang wars shock once-peaceful Ecuador". France 24. 2022-03-03. Retrieved 2022-03-20.
  4. ^ Valencia, Alexandra (2022-04-30). "Ecuador declares emergency in three provinces on rising crime". Reuters. Retrieved 2022-04-30.
  5. ^ Aznárez, Juan Jesús (4 April 2011). "La corrupción policial en Ecuador es generalizada" [Police corruption in Ecuador is widespread]. El País (in Spanish).
  6. ^ "09QUITO572 Cable sobre la corrupción" [Cable on corruption]. El País. 4 April 2011.
  7. ^ a b "Chapter 2: Country Reports, Western Hemisphere Review. 2009 Incidents." Archived 2015-02-14 at the Wayback Machine US State Department. Accessed January 30, 2015.
  8. ^ "Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2013". state.gov. Retrieved April 3, 2015.
  9. ^ "Violence Against Women in Latin America and the Caribbean: A comparative analysis of population-based data from 12 countries (pdf)". Pan American Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 17 January 2013. Retrieved April 3, 2015.
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