Nearly six months into Ecuador’s war on gangs, the results have been mixed. In January, President Daniel Noboa declared an “internal armed conflict” against 22 organized criminal groups labeled terrorist organizations by the government, giving the military latitude to mobilize to go after gangs. Noboa’s declaration came hours after armed gunmen burst into a live TV broadcast and took over the studio for about half an hour, a vivid emblem of Ecuador’s spiraling security problems. Insecurity has become particularly noteworthy in the country’s largest city, Guayaquil, which has become a major drug trafficking hub. As Brad D. Jokisch explained in the Migration Information Source last year, violence and insecurity have contributed to a new wave of emigration from Ecuador since 2019, much of it destinated for the United States. More than 57,000 Ecuadorians crossed the treacherous Darien Gap heading northward last year, more than any other nationality except Venezuelans. In its response to the internal conflict, the government has been accused of strong-arm tactics that have been likened to those of El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele. While Noboa’s “Plan Fenix” strategy has reportedly led to fewer killings, other crimes remain persistent and advocates have documented human-rights abuses by authorities. There has also been a diplomatic crisis sparked by Ecuadorian forces storming Mexico’s embassy in Quito to arrest a former vice president accused of corruption charges but who hours earlier had been granted asylum by Mexico. Embassies are considered off-limits to host-country authorities, as Ecuador well knows given the years when WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange lived at its London mission. The Mexican government, which has severed diplomatic ties with Ecuador, has said the country should be suspended from the United Nations. Voters, however, seem supportive of the crackdown on crime. In April, the country largely approved a Noboa-backed referendum to ramp up security, including by making it easier for the military to work with the police. But the muscular posture could have long-running implications for migrants. As result of the diplomatic spat, Ecuadorians in or passing through Mexico now have fewer consulates where they can get government help. Venezuela also closed its embassy in Ecuador, although it is unclear how that will affect the 475,000 Venezuelan immigrants there. Like many other countries struggling to accommodate Venezuelans, Ecuador created a landmark regularization process, which as of mid-May has offered residency visas to 96,000 people. If the situation does not settle soon, more Ecuadorians seem likely to depart the country. Venezuelans and other immigrants in Ecuador have suffered from the violence alongside their native-born neighbors; many have struggled to secure a job or attend school. If the last six months are any indication, Ecuador’s recovery could be a long time coming. Best regards, Julian Hattem
Editor, Migration Information Source
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