Unlike fellow Latin American nations Haiti, Honduras, and Venezuela, Ecuador — the region’s eighth-largest economy — is not accustomed to being a hotbed of violence.
But the country of around 18 million people has had to get used to its macabre new status, as the spread of powerful regional drug cartels turned Ecuador into a major and sought after narcotics distribution center. Unsurprisingly, when the gangs arrived, so did the urban violence and prison massacres.
After breaking its own homicide record in 2022, the criminality spilled over into political violence. This year, in the space of a month, three Ecuadorian politicians have been killed — most notably presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio, who was shot dead during a campaign rally in Quito.
Violence is, undeniably, the dark cloud hanging over the country as Ecuador goes to the polls today to elect its new president and renew 137 congressional seats. The first round of these snap elections will take place during 60-day state of exception — as outgoing President Guillermo Lasso said the vote “would not be suspended” regardless of recent assassinations.
To ensure safety, Ecuador’s…
