"Ecuador's Battle Against Drug Gangs: A Domestic Crisis with Transnational Implications"

Ecuador is facing a severe security crisis marked by a surge in violence, prison riots, and gang warfare, prompting President Daniel Noboa to declare a state of emergency and designate over 20 gangs as terrorist groups. The country's descent into chaos is attributed to a power vacuum created by the demobilization of FARC in Colombia, shifts in global cocaine consumption, and increasing institutional corruption. Foreign criminal groups, including Mexican cartels and Venezuelan gangs, have capitalized on the situation, exacerbating the turf war between Ecuador's two largest gangs, Los Lobos and Los Choneros. Despite the government's military crackdown, experts emphasize the need to address systemic corruption and adopt new strategies to combat drug trafficking and organized crime.